Athletes in action at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (© Getty Images)
The mile is to replace the 1500m while the mixed 4x400m will be added to the athletics programme for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The Glasgow Games will take place from 23 July to 2 August 2026 and will feature a 10-sport programme across four venues.
Scotstoun Stadium will host the athletics action, which will include the return of the Commonwealth Mile.
Last run in 1966, the mile race is a nod to ‘The Miracle Mile’ at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver in 1954, when England's Roger Bannister and Australian John Landy – the only two sub-four-minute runners in the world at the time – went head-to-head only two months after Bannister became the first athlete to dip under the four-minute barrier.
“The one mile is the quintessential Commonwealth athletics event whose return to the Games in Glasgow 2026 I very much welcome,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “The mile is easy to understand. It is four laps of the track and remains a standard everyday measurement across the Commonwealth.
“From 1930 through to 1966, the mile was the blue riband event of each Games. The event’s place in international sports lore was secured when Sir Roger Bannister broke the four-minute barrier in May 1954. Ever since, the world has enjoyed The Miracle Mile, The Golden Mile, The Dream Mile and countless other similarly dubbed races over the distance.
“The magic of the mile continues to resonate with sports fans. A ticket to watch its Commonwealth final will be one of the must have seats in Glasgow next year.”
The full event programme, which can be found listed on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games website, will also include the mixed 4x400m relay. It is the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games that para athletics will see athletes competing in jumping, throwing and track events, with all three disciplines being included on the programme for the first time.
