EXCLUSIVE: Former Hockeyroo says 'disappointing' Comm Games snub 'not that much of a shock'

Former Hockeyroos star Anna Flanagan admits it's "disappointing" field hockey will not feature at a scaled-back Commonwealth Games in 2026, but says the sport's axing is "understandable" and is confident it will return four years later.

The former 171-game Hockeyroo also trumpeted the Commonwealth Games as an "opportunity to inspire", giving the event's naysayers some food for thought amid growing criticism and disinterest.

The Commonwealth Games Federation confirmed on Wednesday that only 10 sports would be contested at the 2026 event, which was rescued by the Scottish city of Glasgow after Daniel Andrews ditched the Games in July last year during his time as Victoria's premier.

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The sports set to be held at the 2026 event are athletics/para-athletics, swimming/para-swimming, artistic gymnastics, track-cycling/para-track cycling, netball, weightlifting/para-powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls/para-bowls and 3x3 basketball/3x3 wheelchair basketball.

The sports that have been scrubbed are field hockey, cricket, rugby sevens, diving, badminton, beach volleyball, road cycling, mountainbiking, rhythmic gymnastics, squash, table tennis/para-table tennis, triathlon/para-triathlon and wrestling.

Field hockey was dumped despite the fact it's been a fixture of every Commonwealth Games since Kuala Lumpur hosted in 1998.

"It's disappointing. There are a number of sports in the same boat. The Commonwealth Games is a chance to be recognised by a much broader audience ... so it's definitely disappointing," Flanagan told Wide World of Sports.

"But I don't think it's that much of a shock considering the late change with Glasgow picking it up, and how much time and effort and money go into planning these things. You're looking at hockey as a team sport with 16-18 players and support staff and a number of teams — there is a large cost.

"It's also lucky that hockey is a global sport, so we do get the Olympics, we do get World Cups, and netball, for example, which is still [at the Commonwealth Games], isn't at the Olympics."

Flanagan laments that field hockey will miss out on the "awareness" the Commonwealth Games provide for the sport, but believes it will be back on the program for the 2030 edition at a location yet to be confirmed.

"You've got teams like India who are really starting to climb the ladder in world rankings and are having good performances, and they have such a huge audience there, so I think it's got good backing behind it, and I think it is a really strong sport in the Commonwealth," Flanagan said.

"So I would say with a fully fledged Commonwealth Games it would be back in, but I think it's understandable that it's missing out with a lot of other sports at this stage.

"I'm glad that there's something still going ahead and that we can get behind those sports that are involved."

The pared-back Glasgow Games will see about 3000 athletes from 74 countries and territories compete across four venues.

The Commonwealth Games, originally known as the British Empire Games, were last hosted by Glasgow in 2014.

Many people disagree with the concept of the Commonwealth Games because of its roots in British colonialism, while many scoff at the quality of competition it fields, especially when compared with superior events such as the Olympics and Paralympics.

Flanagan won gold with the Hockeyroos at the Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"As a player it [the Commonwealth Games] was no less important than any other tournament when you're representing your country," said the former Hockeyroos defender.

"... I see any sporting event as an opportunity to inspire the younger people to get out there and play sport, and that is such a positive thing for communities. So I would argue it [the Commonwealth Games] is important, and it would leave a hole in the four-year cycle for us to be viewing this and [athletes] inspiring kids."

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place between July 23 and August 2.