Birmingham 2022 unveils biggest ever sports programme

Birmingham 2022 has released the latest version of the competition schedule for the Commonwealth Games, the biggest multi-sport event to be staged in Great Britain for a decade. 

The new information includes the start and finish times for all 286 sessions of the Games, which will be held from 28 July to 8 August 2022, plus information about when the 283 gold medals that are up for grabs will be won.

The next edition of the Commonwealth Games is set to have the largest integrated Para sport programme in history with eight sports: Para athletics, Para cycling, Para powerlifting, Para swimming, Para table tennis, Para triathlon, and wheelchair basketball 3x3, alongside Para lawn bowls. 

Para athletics events like the 100m T33/T34 and Para swimming events like the 100m breaststroke SB6 have been added for the first time, featuring names such as Paralympic champions Hannah Cockroft and Ellie Simmonds.

The sporting action will start in style on Friday, 29 July with medal sessions on the first day confirmed for swimming, track cycling, gymnastics and triathlon, all sports in which the host nation has reigning Commonwealth champions. 

Last year organisers confirmed that more medals will be awarded to women than men for the first time ever at a major multi-sport event.

The new schedule, which has been finalised following detailed conversations with Games Partners, international federations and broadcasters, has been added to the Birmingham 2022 website, with a dedicated new section allowing eager sports fans to start planning their visit to the West Midlands for the Games.

“We’re on track to stage a magnificent edition of the Commonwealth Games and we have seen huge interest in tickets in recent weeks. Now more than ever, people are searching for something to look forward to and that is certainly what we will deliver," Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022 said.

“There are millions of sports fans out there who, because of the pandemic, have not been able to attend events for 12 months and with things moving in the right direction, and vaccines being rolled out, we are anticipating a huge amount of interest when our tickets go on sale later in the year,” Reid added.

The busiest venue during the Games will be the brand-new Sandwell Aquatics Centre with 66 medal events in swimming, Para swimming, and diving being held in the state-of-the-art facility. The venue which is on track to be completed in spring next year, will be in use for all 11 days of competition.

“This is another significant milestone as we move closer to Birmingham 2022," CGF President, Dame Louise Martin, DBE said. "We are fortunate to showcase two full weekends of world-class sport, with the event featuring the largest para sport programme in Commonwealth Games history with an unprecedented platform for women’s sport."

“It is a huge source of pride for everyone in the Commonwealth Sport Movement that Birmingham 2022 will be the first major multi-sport event to have more medals for women than men, providing a huge boost for women’s sport. After such a difficult period, I am delighted Birmingham 2022 is unveiling this exciting schedule today, to give Commonwealth athletes and fans a spectacular competition to look forward to,” Martin said. 

The Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. It was first held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930 and since 2002 in Manchester, Great Britain includes Para sports in the official programme. The last edition took place in Gold Coast, Australia in 2018.

More information about the Commonwealth Games can be found on the Birmingham 2022 official page.