Rugby Sevens may be missing from the Commonwealth Games but organisers say Pacific nations remain at the heart of the event.
The decision to remove Sevens from the July Games in Glasgow, Scotland, has raised concern across the Pacific where the fast-paced format has long been one of the region’s strongest medal chances and a defining part of Commonwealth competition.
For Pacific nations, Rugby Sevens is more than a medal sport. It is a key pathway for young players into professional rugby, a major source of international exposure, and a rare stage where smaller nations consistently compete and win against the world’s biggest teams.
Katie Sadleir, the chief executive of Commonwealth Sport, told PMN News the call was not taken lightly but was driven by time pressure and the realities of building a scaled-down Games model with the host city.
“I understand the importance of sevens and into the Pacific and into the world … but we were in a situation where a decision had to be made,” she said.
The former artistic swimmer said organisers had to work within strict limits including using existing venues and fitting 10 sports into a compact Games footprint in Glasgow.
“We had to… balance, what did they need and what could deliver within a two year timeframe… we knew that they had incredible expertise and they were passionate about doing this,” Sadleir said.
Rugby Sevens has been part of every Commonwealth Games since its debut in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, with the women’s competition added in 2018.
While only New Zealand, South Africa and Australia have won gold, Pacific nations including Fiji and Sāmoa have become central to the story of the sport on this stage.
The Fijians in particular have built a strong legacy with five silver medals and one bronze in the men’s competition, while the Fijiana women’s side claimed silver at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
Sāmoa and other Pacific nations have also consistently challenged the top tier using the Games as one of the few global stages where they can compete regularly at elite level.
The 2026 Games will instead feature 10 sports including 3×3 Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball, Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics, Bowls, Boxing, Track Cycling, Judo, Netball, Swimming and Weightlifting.
Despite the absence of Sevens, Sadleir is “absolutely” confident the Games will still deliver a strong competition and moments that matter.
“The quality of people are really good. And if you look at the history of the Commonwealth Games, I think there’s been 20 world records in the last three games… heaps of Commonwealth records. The sports that are there are quality sports and people will really enjoy what they see on the field.”
The Commonwealth Games will run from 23 July to 02 August with Pacific athletes expected to again play a key role across multiple sports despite the programme changes.
