The year 2026 promises a thrilling array of international sports, including Formula 1's regulatory overhaul, scaled-back Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, and LIV Golf's return to South Africa.
In Formula 1, the 2026 season introduces a complete technical regulation overhaul following Lando Norris's 2025 championship win with McLaren. Cars will be shorter by 20cm to 3.40m, narrower by 10cm to 1.90m, and lighter by 30kg to 768kg, aiming for greater agility and closer racing. Power units shift to a 50-50 electric-internal combustion balance with triple the prior electrical output. The Drag Reduction System ends, replaced by a manual override mode for extra power bursts when within one second of rivals. Cadillac joins as a new team using Ferrari units, featuring drivers Valtteri Bottas and Checo Perez.
The Commonwealth Games move to Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August after Victoria, Australia, withdrew over costs. The event shrinks to 10 sports across four venues, integrating six para disciplines for a record 47 para medal events. Included are athletics, swimming, gymnastics, 3x3 basketball, bowls, boxing, cycling, judo, netball, and weightlifting, with para versions of several. New athletics events feature the mixed 4x400m relay and Commonwealth Mile, replacing the 1,500m; swimming adds men's 800m and women's 1,500m freestyle. South Africa, with 27 medals in 2022, retains strong suits despite cuts to cricket, hockey, and rugby sevens.
Italy hosts the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics from 6-22 February across Milano and Cortina d'Ampezzo, the most widespread yet with 116 events. Debuting ski mountaineering includes sprints and a mixed relay; women's large hill ski jumping joins for 50 female events and 47% participation. Opening at San Siro, closing at Verona Arena, it precedes Paralympics on 6 March.
LIV Golf visits South Africa on 19 March at Steyn City's club in Johannesburg, where Stingers GC—led by Louis Oosthuizen with Charl Schwartzel, Dean Burmester, and Branden Grace—defends after three 2025 podiums. The league expands to 72-hole, four-day formats across 14 events for 54 players in 13 teams, starting with shotgun tees and no cuts. Legion XIII and Jon Rahm topped 2025.
