There are some similarities as well as differences in both the games.
Commonwealth Games are being organized in Glasgow city of Scotland. It is also called Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games is an international sporting event held every 4 years. It will run between July 23 and August 2 this year. It started in 1930 as the British Empire Games. Like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, they are big names in the world of sports, but people often consider them to be the same.
Due to some similarities and differences between the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, people get confused and are unable to differentiate between them. Know how many similarities and differences there are between the two games.
Difference between Commonwealth and Olympic Games
Let us first understand how many similarities there are between the two. In both, athletes compete to win medals. Both are held every four years. Many countries participate in both. These similarities confuse people. But in reality the roots, scope and importance of these two events are completely different.
Glasgow Games 2026 (Photo: Getty Images)
First difference…organizing organizations are different
The Olympic Games are organized by the International Olympic Committee i.e. IOC. Its headquarters is in Lausanne city of Switzerland. Whereas the Commonwealth Games is organized by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). Both institutions are completely different. Make different rules and decide to host games in a different way.
second difference…Difference in number and identity of participating countries
This is the biggest reason which confuses people. Almost all recognized countries of the world can participate in the Olympics. At present, teams from more than 200 countries participate in the Olympics.
Only those countries participate in the Commonwealth Games which were once part of the British Empire and are now members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Their number is around 70-72. Interestingly, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland play as separate teams in the Commonwealth Games, whereas in the Olympics, they all come together as one team, Great Britain. This is what creates confusion as to why the same country plays in two different ways.
Silver Strength Lifts National Pride!
Heartiest congratulations to Harjinder Kaur on winning the Silver medal in the Women’s 69kg Weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games. Your incredible performance, resilience, and dedication have made the entire nation proud.
🎥: Sony pic.twitter.com/nOOdFSsOpp
— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) July 29, 2026
third difference…Difference between summer and winter version
There are two major editions of the Olympic Games – Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics. Both are held in different years, at an interval of two years. Winter Olympics features snow and cold related sports like skiing and ice hockey.
There is only one major edition of the Commonwealth Games, which is held in the summer season. There is no separate winter version of this in circulation.
fourth difference…difference in prestige and status
Olympic medal is considered the biggest achievement in the sports world, because here one competes with top athletes from every part of the world. Winning an Olympic medal is counted among the biggest successes in any player’s career.
Commonwealth Games are often called friendly games. The atmosphere here is a little less stressful and more cordial. Although it is not easy to win here, the level of competition and global recognition is not as high as the Olympics.
One Olympic Games. Two podium finishes. One historical first. 🥉🥉#OnThisDay, Manu Bhaker became the first Indian athlete to win two medals at a single Olympic Games, leaving an unforgettable mark on Paris 2024. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/9r3yrnhwEp
— Olympic Khel™ (@OlympicKhel) July 30, 2026
Fifth difference…difference in the list of sports also
Some sports are common in both events, such as athletics, swimming, boxing and badminton. But the Commonwealth Games also includes games like lawn balls and netball, which are not played in the Olympics. At the same time, new age sports like skateboarding and surfing have been included in the Olympics, which are not part of the Commonwealth Games.
Why are people confused?
The biggest reason for this is that the structure of both the events – the opening ceremony, medal table, march past of the players – is quite similar. Apart from this, due to the use of the word “games” in both, people consider them similar.
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