Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Selection Policy announcement

England Athletics and Commonwealth Games England are pleased to announce the Athletics and Para Athletics Selection Policies for the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games provides an amazing opportunity for English athletes to compete at the highest level for their country and we are pleased to see the Games return to the UK, following the huge success of Birmingham 2022.

Commonwealth Games England has officially informed us that our athlete allocation for the England track and field team at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games will be 58, in addition to our para-athletes, who will follow an invitation process for selection.

England Athletics intend to nominate the maximum number of athletes, based on the number of team places made available by Commonwealth Games England, with the aim of securing the maximum number of medal placings.

These policies detail the criteria England Athletics will use to nominate athletes to Commonwealth Games England for ratification.

Scott Grace, Team Leader for Athletics for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, said:

“The Commonwealth Games has provided so many amazing moments in the history of our sport and the unique opportunity to compete for England in a major Games. I feel extremely honoured to be leading the athletics team at next year’s Commonwealth Games. We have so many exceptional English athletes competing within our sport at the moment, and such a rich heritage, which gives me great confidence we will have a successful Games."

"We hope these policies provide excitement, motivation, and the aspiration for many of our English athletes to reach new heights in the pursuit of the Commonwealth Games.

“Next year will provide a unique opportunity for athletes to potentially compete in two major competitions within the UK, with the Birmingham 2026 European Championships taking place shortly after the Commonwealth Games, bringing an exciting summer of athletics to England.

"Over the coming months we will look to build the team staff for these Games and work closely with the athletes, their personal coaches and support those who are targeting these Games.

"I would like to wish everyone good luck for their 2025 season and in their pursuit of selection for next year’s Games. I hope that all those eventually selected will grasp this amazing opportunity to represent England, our sport and most importantly themselves with both pride and passion."

Scott has worked on international teams since 2011, and this will be his eighth Commonwealth Games including Commonwealth Youth Games.

Sarah Benson, England Athletics Director of Talent & Performance, said:

"We’re thrilled that the Commonwealth Games are moving forward after a period of uncertainty. It’s a hugely important event for our sport, and we are excited to start our planning for 2026 following the success Team England had in Birmingham in 2022.

"We’re equally delighted to have Scott leading the team. After a tough recruitment process, he stood out not only for his leadership qualities but also for his wealth of experience across senior and age-group international championships over the past 15 years, which will be invaluable as we prepare for Glasgow.”

Frankie Carter-Kelly, Chef de Mission for Commonwealth Games England, said:

"We are delighted to once again be working with England Athletics as we build towards the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Athletics and Para athletics will be one of ten sports representing Team England at these unique Games which I am sure will be a great success.

"Athletics has such a strong history within the Commonwealth Games and I am looking forward to seeing another strong team performance next summer. I’d like to wish all the best to those athletes looking to qualify and ultimately represent Team England on UK soil."

England Athletics Policy

This document outlines the process by which England Athletics will arrive at its decisions to nominate athletes for selection for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The final team will be nominated to Commonwealth Games England, following a single selection meeting to be held on Monday 15 June 2026.

England Para Athletics Policy

The Commonwealth Games Federation have announced the Para Athletics Qualification System will consist of two methods of qualification for the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

• Direct Qualification – World Para Athletics Commonwealth Rankings (ranking period is between 1 January 2025 to 23:59 on 31 March 2026).
• Bipartite Invitation.

England Athletics will recommend to Commonwealth Games England that it accepts each invitation allocated to an English athlete.

Webinars for athletes, coaches, and support team

Webinars for athletes, coaches, and support team

England Athletics will organise a series of webinars for any interested parties to explain the Commonwealth Games Selection Policies and provide further information about the Games.

The first of these sessions will take place on Wednesday 28 May from 7 to 8pm

For future webinars and updates, please check the England Athletics website.

Find out more

More information on the Commonwealth Games is available on the Commonwealth Games Federation website and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games website.