Asian Games vs Commonwealth Games vs Olympics: How are they different?

The Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games are three of the biggest multi-sport events in international sport, but they represent different levels and structures of competition.

The Olympics are a global competition, the Asian Games bring together athletes from across Asia, while the Commonwealth Games are contested by nations and territories that form part of the Commonwealth sporting movement

Olympics: The global sporting stage

The modern Olympic Games were revived in Athens in 1896, when 241 athletes from 14 countries competed in nine sports. They have since grown into the world’s biggest multi-sport event, bringing together athletes from National Olympic Committees around the world.

The Olympic programme primarily comprises sports governed by international federations recognised by the International Olympic Committee, although the programme can change between editions.

For athletes, qualifying for the Olympics is itself a major achievement because of the depth of global competition. An Olympic medal is therefore widely regarded as one of the highest honours in international sport.

Asian Games: Asia's continental competition

The Asian Games are the continent’s premier multi-sport event and are organised by the Olympic Council of Asia. The first edition was held in New Delhi in 1951, with the Games traditionally taking place every four years.

The programme includes Olympic sports such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics and wrestling, alongside disciplines that have strong followings or sporting traditions in Asia.

The scale of the event is evident at the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Games. The edition will feature 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 events, with more than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions expected to compete from September 19 to October 4.

Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games differ from the Olympics and Asian Games in how participation is defined. Rather than being based primarily on geography, the event brings together athletes representing Commonwealth nations and territories.

The first edition was held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930. The event has changed its name and format several times over the decades while retaining its focus on competition among Commonwealth nations and territories.

The sporting programme is also more flexible than that of the Olympics and Asian Games, with the line-up changing significantly between editions.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow featured 10 sports: athletics, swimming, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo, netball, bowls, weightlifting and 3x3 basketball. Six sports also included integrated para-sport events, with more than 3,000 athletes and para athletes from 74 nations and territories taking part.

How are the three Games different?

The simplest distinction is their scope and eligibility.

The Olympics are a global event, the Asian Games are a continental competition for Asia, and the Commonwealth Games are organised around a shared sporting and historical association between participating nations and territories.

Their sporting programmes also differ. The Olympics have the broadest global reach and the greatest depth of competition, while the Asian Games can include sports with particular popularity across the continent. The Commonwealth Games have greater flexibility in determining their programme from one edition to another.

For India, all three events provide different levels of international competition. The Olympics pit Indian athletes against the world’s best, the Asian Games against the leading competitors from across Asia, and the Commonwealth Games against athletes from Commonwealth nations and territories.

The same sport, and sometimes the same athlete, can therefore appear at all three events, but the competitive landscape is different: the Olympics offer a global stage, the Asian Games a continental one, and the Commonwealth Games a competition built around the Commonwealth sporting community.