Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow: Kenya, South Africa and the African Athletes to Watch
2026 Commonwealth Games · July 23 to August 2, 2026 · Glasgow, Scotland · 10 sports
The 23rd Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow, Scotland on July 23, 2026. The Games run until August 2 across 10 sports at venues across the Scottish city, which last hosted the event in 2014. It is a smaller edition than previous Games, following Victoria in Australia backing out of hosting in 2023 due to budget overruns, but the competition is genuine and the African representation is significant. Kenya and South Africa are both competing with meaningful medal ambitions and their athletes deserve the attention of every African sports fan following the Games.
Kenya is the second most successful African nation in Commonwealth Games history with 258 medals, behind only South Africa's 416. The 2026 team is led by captain Julius Yego, the javelin thrower known as the YouTube Man who learned his event from watching javelin videos online before becoming a Commonwealth Games champion. Yego is seeking a record-extending fifth Commonwealth Games appearance. Team Kenya captain and assistant captain Zeddy Cherotich, a judoka, were formally blessed and sent off at Kasarani in Nairobi before departure. The government has announced improved cash rewards for medal winners, which motivates athletes in a specific way that pure sporting ambition sometimes does not.
The Athletes to Watch
| Athlete | Country | Event | Why to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferdinand Omanyala | Kenya | 100m Athletics | Africa's fastest man. Defended his national title at 10.00 seconds in June. Glasgow is his moment. |
| Julius Yego | Kenya | Javelin Athletics | Five-time Commonwealth Games participant. Team captain. Glasgow is his farewell. |
| Lilian Odira | Kenya | 800m Athletics | World 800m champion. Third successive national title. The favourite in her event. |
| Sylvia Kemboi | Kenya | 20km Race Walk | Silver at African Championships in May. In peak form heading into Glasgow. |
| Hollywoodbets Sharks players | South Africa | Rugby Sevens | SA rugby depth extends to sevens. Watch for development players staking Springboks claims. |
What the Reduced Programme Means for African Athletes
The 2026 Commonwealth Games features 10 sports compared to 20 at the 2022 Birmingham edition. The events included are athletics, swimming, track cycling, gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, lawn bowls, and 3x3 basketball. The reduced programme concentrates competition in the events where African nations have traditionally been strongest. Kenya's dominance in distance running and middle distance events is well established and the smaller field means fewer events for other nations to dilute the medal table with sports where African athletes are less competitive.
South Africa ranked sixth in the all-time Commonwealth Games medal table and will be targeting medals across athletics and boxing particularly. Omanyala in the 100 metres is the standout individual event for East African fans. Any price available on him to medal at a price above even money represents genuine value given his form at the June national championships where he clocked 10.00 seconds to win his third consecutive national title.
The Betting Angle for Kenyan and South African Fans
Commonwealth Games athletics markets are available at licensed operators in both Kenya and South Africa. For Kenyan bettors, SportPesa and Betway Kenya will carry markets on the athletics events. Back Kenya to finish in the top three of the athletics medal table specifically, not the overall table which includes sports where Kenya has less representation. For South African bettors, Hollywoodbets is the primary operator for niche sports betting including the Commonwealth Games given their deep involvement in South African sport as a sponsor and investor.
Commonwealth Games betting markets available at licensed operators. 18+ only. Bet responsibly.