Birmingham 2022 countdown at Utilita Arena: blockbuster month of athletics, badminton and darts

Sports fans can enjoy an action-packed programme of top-class sporting events in the heart of the second city over the next few weeks.

There is a mouth-watering schedule in store to whet the appetite of sports fanatics as the countdown to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games continues.

The iconic venue, formerly known as the NIA, has been home to some of the world’s biggest sporting events for more than 30 years and will again welcome some star names to the region when it hosts three major events on the back of the Müller Indoor Grand Prix which took place on Saturday.

Next up is the UK Athletics Indoor Championships this weekend (February 26 and 27), followed by the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships between March 16-20 and the Cazoo Premier League Darts on Thursday, March 31.

UK Athletics Indoor Championship

The UK Athletics Indoor Championships will serve as the trials to decide which athletes represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland at the World Athletics Indoor Championships taking place in Belgrade, Serbia, in March.

Among those competing will be Stratford’s 60m hurdles star Andrew Pozzi and 400m ace Keely Hodgkinson – fresh from breaking the British indoor 800m record in Birmingham on Saturday. Also on track will be Birmingham’s 800m runner Elliot Giles of Birchfield Harriers.

Tickets for this weekend’s athletics event are available here: The Ticket Factory

Badminton

Having been staged behind closed doors in March 2021, Badminton England and the Championships will once again welcome fans back into Utilita Arena Birmingham to experience world-class action - bringing together the best badminton players from around the world.

If that’s not enough for sports fans, the 2022 Cazoo Premier League Darts comes to Birmingham just two weeks later and will see a star-studded line-up compete against each other to become champion.

Badminton aces back on Birmingham court

The YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships return to the city and brings the best badminton players from around the world to compete in one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments within the HSBC Badminton World Federation World Tour.

Last year the pandemic meant fans were unable to enjoy the action as the event was staged behind closed doors, but the stars will be supported by spectators again in what is a great family occasion.

You can buy tickets here: The Ticket Factory

Enjoy a night at the arrows

Birmingham darts fans can watch Premier League debutant Joe Cullen in action in the eight-player line-up for what is a new-look tournament for 2022.

Cullen was selected to compete in the Premier League just a day after winning his maiden TV title at The Masters, while world number one Gerwyn Price and World Championship runner-up Michael Smith are back in the elite competition after missing out in 2021.

Predicting a winner is near on impossible as reigning world champion Peter Wright and five-time Premier League winner Michael van Gerwen will also be in action alongside fellow darts greats and former Premier League winners Gary Anderson and James Wade.

Completing the competitors is reigning Premier League winner, Welshman Jonny Clayton.

Tickets are available here: The Ticket Factory from

What has Utilita Arena has said about the month of sport?

Alex Ginever, Senior Venue Sales Manager at NEC Group Arenas, said: “I’m incredibly excited for what is set to be a blockbuster month of sport at Utilita Arena Birmingham.

“The busy, action-packed line-up is a perfect kick-starter to a special year that will see our city host the Commonwealth Games.

“The next month or so will give us, and sports fans alike, a flavour of what’s to come in 2022 and we can’t wait for all the action to unfold.”

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