India Raises Commonwealth Games 2026 Qualification Bar to National-Record Level

NEW DELHI — The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has set stringent Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification standards for Glasgow, requiring athletes in 17 events to equal or surpass national records to be considered for selection, The News Mill reported on 15 July 2026.

The Games run from July 23 to August 2 in Scotland. With each nation limited to a maximum of 32 athletes — no more than 16 women — the AFI raised performance benchmarks to field a competitive team, the federation said via olympics.com.

In men's events, national records must be beaten in the 100m, 400m, 1500m, 110m hurdles and hammer throw. Selected marks include the men's 100m at 10.16 seconds and the women's 100m at 11.17 seconds; the men's 400m standard is 44.96 seconds. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has previously exceeded the men's javelin standard of 82.61 metres, the AFI noted.

Selectors retain discretion to include athletes who miss the marks but are deemed strong medal contenders. At the 2022 Birmingham Games, India won 61 medals, eight in athletics; as host in New Delhi in 2010 it topped 100.

**Score/Result:** Not applicable — a qualification-policy announcement, not a live contest; no result to verify.

## Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification: selected marks

The AFI's published entry standards (per The News Mill) include: men's 100m 10.16s, women's 100m 11.17s, men's 400m 44.96s, women's 400m 51.36s, men's 1500m 3:30.82, women's 1500m 4:05.09, men's 5000m 13:19.64, women's 5000m 14:56.60, men's 10,000m 27:39.03, women's 10,000m 31:14.14, and men's javelin 82.61m. No standard was set for the men's 4x400m relay; the mixed 4x400m mark is 3:16.00.

**Related:** [Commonwealth Games 2026: schedule and favourites](/sport/commonwealth-games-2026-guide) | [India at Birmingham 2022](/sport/india-commonwealth-games-2022) | [Track and field qualifying explained](/sport/athletics-qualification)

### FAQ

**When are the 2026 Commonwealth Games?** The Games run July 23 to August 2, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland.

**How many athletes can India send to Glasgow 2026?** A maximum of 32 across athletics, including no more than 16 women.

**What is India's best Commonwealth Games medal haul?** India topped 100 medals as host in New Delhi in 2010.

**Sources** - https://thenewsmill.com/2026/02/athletics-federation-of-india-sets-tough-standards-for-2026-commonwealth-games-qualification/ - https://www.olympics.com

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