Birmingham 2022: Commonwealth Games will be biggest yet as new schedule released

The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 will be the biggest sports event to be held in the UK for a decade, it's been confirmed.

The competition schedule released today contains 286 sessions, 19 different sports, and 283 medal events across 11 days - making it the biggest programme in the history of the Games.

When are the Games?

The Games run from Thursday 28 July, with the Opening Ceremony, to Monday 8 August.

How many athletes?

4,500 athletes

What's on Day One?

On Day 1 of the Games, on the 29th July, there will be 14 sports taking place from 9:00 in the morning until 10:30 at night, with medal sessions for swimming, track cycling, gymnastics and triathlon

When's the best day for women's sport?

Organisers say Sunday 7 August will be a "showcase" for women’s team sport in particular, with the medal matches for women’s hockey, cricket T20 and netball all taking place on the same day.

What might be a good day for Team England?

On the final day of the competition, Monday 8 August, gold medals will beawarded in diving, table tennis, badminton, squash and hockey – sports where TeamEngland has previously excelled.

When will I see the most medals?

On Tuesday 2 August nine sports will award medals and on Sunday 7 August medallists in eleven different sports will be decided.

What sports can I see where?

There'll be beach volleyball at Smithfield in the city centre, swimming, para swimming and diving at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, Boxing at the NEC, Triathlon at Sutton Park, the full list is here.

  • Matt Kidson Director of Sport, Birmingham 2022

  • Ama Agbeze, Birmingham 2022 Board Member

More medals will be awarded to women than men for the first time ever at a major multi-sport event.

The leader of Birmingham City Council had admitted the Games may not go ahead, and there have been hiccups like the abandonment of plans for the Athletes' Village, due to the pandemic.

But Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022 confirmed today that plans are "on track to stage a magnificent edition of the Commonwealth Games."

In fact, during the pandemic, the games have been gaining interest with a "huge interest in tickets in recent weeks," as people search for something to look forward to.

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