Introduction
The Commonwealth Games are an international multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and has taken place every four years since then.
The Commonwealth Games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which also controls the sporting programme and selects the host cities. The games movement consists of international sports federations (IFs), Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs), and organising committees for each specific Commonwealth Games. Apart from many Olympic sports, the games also include some sports that are played predominantly in Commonwealth countries but which are not part of the Olympic programme, such as lawn bowls, netball and squash.
Nineteen cities in 9 countries have hosted the event. Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games 5 times (1938, 1962, 1982, 2006 and 2018); this is more times than any other nation.
Countries
Although there are currently 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, 71 teams currently participate in the Commonwealth Games, as a number of dependent territories compete under their own flags. The four Home Nations of the United Kingdom — England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – also send separate teams.
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, England, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana, India, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Wales, Zambia
Sports
Archer, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Diving, Gymnastics, Hockey, Judo, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Rowing, Rugby Sevens, Squash, Swimming, Shooting, Synchronised Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Triathlon, Weightlifting, Wrestling
2026 Commonwealth Games
The next Commonwealth Games will be held in Birmingham from 27 July to 7 August 2022.
AFI will lobby for the inclusion of Footy 9s as a demonstration sport in the 2026 Commonwealth Games (venue to be announced).