Watch: Birmingham 2022 - what to expect at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is a multisport event similar to the Olympics. It is contested by countries that are part of the Commonwealth, a political association derived from the former British Empire.

The event takes place every four years. This year, between Thursday, the 28th of July and Monday, the 8th of August.

The athletics stadium is in Perry Barr, a suburb two and a half miles north of Birmingham city centre. The redevelopment of the site is part of a plan to build a lasting legacy post games with new homes, improvements to public transport, walking and cycling routes. New community facilities and public spaces are also being developed.

Events will be hosted across the West Midlands, with aquatics in a new state of the art centre in Sandwell, boxing and gymnastics at the NEC, The triathlon in Sutton Park, cricket at Edgbaston and other sports across the greater region.

Birmingham was chosen to host the games over Liverpool after Durban in South Africa pulled out. In recent years many areas of the city have been redeveloped, removing much of the 1960s brutalist architecture it was once famed for.

Local leaders have embraced the opportunity to present this new Birmingham to the world.

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council: “This is a huge economic booster for the wider region. In excess of billion pounds will be generated as a result of these games and of course the games themselves are a platform for us to show the world what Birmingham and its people are all about and what we can deliver. This is the third largest multi sporting event in the world and the biggest event Birmingham has ever played host to.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands: “There are Events from Cannock right through to Leamington in Warwickshire. All the boroughs will benefit in some way, whether it be putting up teams, visitors coming to the hotels and of course people being able to get jobs and volunteering experience. So it’s a West Midlands wide games.”

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