How did Birmingham win the Commonwealth Games bid?

Today's announcement that Birmingham will be hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games marks the end of months of work from those involved in the Birmingham bid.

The Games were originally awarded to the South African city of Durban in 2015, but they were stripped of hosting rights earlier this year after financial difficulties.

Birmingham beat off competition from Liverpool for backing from the British government, which was finally granted in September.

• Hear what Debbie Jevans, who worked on London 2012 and Rugby World Cup, has to say about Birmingham's successful bid:

The main arguments in Birmingham's successful bid included:

• The youth and diversity of its population - reflective of the diversity of the Commonwealth as a whole.

• Birmingham's track record of holding major events, including large sporting events such as the Ashes

• The impressive range of sporting venues already built and operational which could hold events.

• Watch our reporter Melissa Wright's report below on how Birmingham won the bid.

Although Birmingham was the the only city to submit a bid by the Commonwealth Games Federation's (CGF) deadline of the end of September, the city has had to wait nearly three months for confirmation of its victory.

The CGF initially extended the deadline for bids until the end of November, saying Birmingham's bid was "not fully compliant".

A second delay was then announced earlier this month as the CGF sought further guarantees about the bid.

But the formal announcement now means work can begin to begin the necessary infrastructural work needed for the Games, including building an Athletes Village and improvements to transport.

• Hear what transport benefits Birmingham can expect from the Games below: