The vibrant city of Birmingham is all set to host the momentous 2022 Commonwealth Games.
4500+ athletes from 72 countries are expected to partake in the Games, which will be held from 28 July to 8 August 2022 at 15 venues across the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom.
Let’s discover more about each Commonwealth Games 2022 venue, including the sports they’ll host, event dates, and the nearest public transport stop for each venue.
| Read More: Explore the 20 best attractions in Birmingham while you’re here for the Games. Also, find out the best ways to travel from London to Birmingham. |
This Article Contains:
The 15 Commonwealth Games 2022 Venues
The 15 Commonwealth Games 2022 Venues
Most of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games will be held in the West Midlands.
However, Lee Valley VeloPark in London, which also hosted the 2012 Olympic Games, will be the only venue situated outside the area.
Here’s the complete Commonwealth Games 2022 venue list:
Birmingham and West Midlands
1. Alexander Stadium, Perry Barr
The Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, home to the Birchfield Harrier athletic club, will take centre stage during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
This prominent venue will host the opening and closing ceremonies and see athletes (including Team England) competing in various track and field events.
As of May 2022, the Alexander Stadium is being renovated for £72 million (announced by the Birmingham City Council) to accommodate more than 30,000 spectators with additional temporary seating.
The venue also celebrated the Commonwealth day on 14 March 2022, in the presence of Ian Reid (Birmingham 2022 CEO), and gave the attendees a glimpse of the construction work.
Address: Walsall Road, Perry Barr, B42 2LR
Contact: 0121 464 8008
Sport: Athletics and para-athletics
Dates:
28 July 2022 (opening ceremony)
2-7 August 2022 (Games)
8 August 2022 (closing ceremony)
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Perry Avenue (5 min walk)
Train station: Witton (44 min walk)
2. Sandwell Aquatics Centre
The Sandwell Aquatics Centre is being built in Smethwick to host a range of swimming, para-swimming, and diving events.
For the Commonwealth Games, the aquatic centre will feature an Olympic-sized 50-metre swimming pool, a 25-metre diving pool, a community pool, and a seating capacity of 1000 spectators.
Address: Smethwick, B67 7HE
Contact: 0300 012 0121
Sport: Swimming, para-swimming, and diving
Dates:
29 July-3 August 2022 (swimming and para-swimming)
4-8 August 2022 (diving)
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Three Shires Oak Rd (4 min walk)
Train station: Smethwick Rolfe Street (36 min walk)
3. Arena Birmingham
Formerly known as the National Indoor Arena, this Commonwealth Games venue will host artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics events.
With a capacity of 15,800, the Arena Birmingham is the third largest indoor arena in the United Kingdom after Manchester Arena and the O2 Arena in London.
Previously, the venue has also hosted the World Athletics Indoor Championships (2003 and 2018) and the European Athletics Indoor Championships (2007).
Address: King Edwards Road, Birmingham, B1 2AA
Contact: 0121 780 4141
Sport: Artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics
Dates:
29 July-2 August 2022(Artistic gymnastics)
4-6 August 2022 (Rhythmic gymnastics)
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: National Indoor Arena (3 min walk)
Train station: Birmingham New Street (32 min walk)
4. Cannock Chase Forest
Located in Staffordshire, the Cannock Chase Forest will host the mountain bike cycling sport for the Commonwealth Games.
The Birches Valley in Cannock Chase will be the northernmost venue for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. A new “off-road cycling trail” and “bike play trail” will also be created ahead of the Games to encourage the residents to be more active outdoors.
If you plan to watch the game, you should book the tickets soon as the venue will only accommodate 2000 guests.
Address: Birches Valley, Rugeley, WS15 2UQ
Contact: 0300 067 4340
Sport: Mountain biking
Dates: 3 August 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Sitting Mill Road (16 min walk)
Train station: Rugeley Town (43 min walk)
5. Coventry Arena (Ricoh Arena)
The Coventry Arena, formerly known as Ricoh Arena, is a 32000+ seater stadium in Coventry, United Kingdom. This venue has hosted football matches during the London Olympic Games.
This year, the Coventry Arena (including the Coventry Indoor Arena) will host the Birmingham 2022 Games of rugby sevens, judo, and wrestling. Both judo and wrestling will be hosted at the Coventry Indoor Arena, while the rugby sevens will take place at the Coventry Arena pitch.
In addition to the stadium, this Commonwealth Games venue also features a 6000 square metres exhibition hall, a hotel, and a casino.
Address: Judds Lane, Coventry, CV6 6GE
Contact: 02476 933 444
Sport: Rugby sevens, judo, and wrestling
Dates:
29-31 July 2022 (Rugby sevens)
1-2 August 2022 (Judo)
5-6 August 2022 (Wrestling)
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Coventry Arena (Stop AH) (3 min walk)
Train station: Coventry Arena Railway Station (2 min walk)
6. Edgbaston Cricket Ground
The Women’s T20 cricket will make its Commonwealth Games debut at this famous cricket stadium, which regularly hosts test and one-day international matches and is also home to the Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
Improvement works are in progress for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games to create a 56,500 square feet plaza at the entrance to the ground and extra parking spaces.
Address: Edgbaston Road, Birmingham, B5 7QU
Contact: 0844 635 1902
Sport: Women’s T20 cricket
Dates: 29 July-6 August 2022 (except 1 and 5 August)
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Edgbaston Old Church (2 min walk)
Train station: Birmingham New Street (17 min walk)
Note: Moseley Cricket Ground will serve as the training venue for the eight Women’s Cricket T20 teams participating in the Games.
7. National Exhibition Centre (NEC)
The National Exhibition Centre will be a focal point for the Birmingham 2022 Games as various sports are scheduled to take place here.
Both the National Exhibition Center (NEC) and the NEC Arena will host Games like boxing, table tennis, badminton, weightlifting, and more.
The seating capacity of the venue will be increased ahead of the Commonwealth Games. Additionally, the hotels at the NEC complex will be prepared to accommodate 16,000 athletes and officials.
Address: North Avenue, Marston Green, Birmingham, B40 1NT
Contact: 0121 780 4141
Sport: Badminton, boxing, table tennis and para table tennis, weightlifting, and netball
Dates: 2 July-8 August 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Ingenuity House (7 min walk)
Train station: Birmingham International Airport (34 min walk)
Light rail station: Birmingham Intl (44 min walk)
8. Smithfield
A former wholesale market site in the Birmingham City Centre, the Smithfield area, will be used as a temporary venue for basketball 3×3 competitions and beach volleyball.
The basketball 3×3 and beach volleyball venues are expected to accommodate 2,500 and 4,000 spectators, respectively.
The Birmingham City Council initially cleared the site to construct the Inner Ring Road and the wholesale market. In 2018, this area in the Birmingham City Center was cleared again as a part of a significant revamp project.
Ahead of the Games, the Birmingham 2022 Games Chief Executive Ian Reid aims to transform this site yet again into a “vibrant venue.”
Address: Birmingham, B5 6UB
Contact: 0800 860 6258
Sport: Basketball 3×3, wheelchair basketball 3×3, and beach volleyball
Dates:
29 July-2 August 2022 (Basketball 3×3 and wheelchair basketball 3×3)
30 July-7 August 2022 (Beach volleyball)
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: 8th Ave N And 1st St N (2 min walk)
Train station: Birmingham New Street (25 min walk)
9. Sutton Park
The 2,400-acre Birmingham park in Sutton Coldfield will welcome 70 athletes (including Team England athletes) to participate in the triathlon and para-triathlon Games.
Sutton Park houses the Powell’s Pool, an expansive park, and well-connected local roads to host the three-part race.
The triathlon will start with a 750-metre swim, followed by a 20 km four-lap cycle, and end with a 5 km run on the tree-lined loop inside the park.
Address: Park Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 6LH
Contact: 0121 355 6370
Sport: Triathlon and Para triathlon
Dates: 29 and 31 July 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Sutton Coldfield (34 min walk)
Train station: Sutton Coldfield (43 min walk)
10. Warwick
The Warwick District Council is ready to welcome spectators for the road race cycling event at Myton Fields, located on the other side of St Nicholas Park.
After competing in the time trial in West Park, Wolverhampton, around 160 cyclists are expected to gather here. The event will take place one day before the concluding day of the Birmingham 2022 Games.
Spectators will be allowed to line the race’s route, which is also set to pass the famous Warwick Castle.
Address: Warwick, CV34 6PR
Contact: 01926 456128
Sport: Cycling road race
Dates: 7 August 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: St Nicholas Park (4 min walk)
Train station: Warwick Parkway (9 min walk)
11. University of Birmingham and Squash Centre
The University of Birmingham will host the hockey and squash events for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
The two international-standard hockey pitches are being recarpeted as a competition and warm-up pitches. The venue will accommodate 6,000 spectators via temporary seating.
On the other hand, the 2,000 square metres indoor arena will feature an all-glass squash court with a 2,000 spectator capacity. This venue will also serve as the principal athlete village for around 3,000 competitors and officials.
Moreover, the additional University facility will be used as a training venue for the Games.
Address: Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT
Contact: 0121 414 4117
Sport: Hockey and squash
Dates: 29 July-8 August 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: University North Gate (3 min walk)
Train station: Birmingham New Street (23 min walk)
12. Victoria Park (Leamington Spa)
The Royal Leamington Spa Bowls Club will host the lawn bowls and para lawn bowls games at Victoria Park for the upcoming Commonwealth Games England.
Known as the home of Bowls England, Victoria Park annually hosts the Bowls England National Championships. The venue was also used for the Women’s World Championships in 1996 and 2004.
The Royal Leamington Spa features five bowling greens that will be used for the competitions and will accommodate up to 3,000 spectators.
Address: 23 Archery Road, Leamington Spa, CV31 3PT
Contact: 01926 456128
Sport: Lawn Bowls and para lawn bowls
Dates: 29 July-6 August 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Victoria Park (2 min walk)
Train station: The Hawthorns (17 min walk)
13. West Park
The 43-acre West Park in Wolverhampton is one of the finest Victorian parks in the United Kingdom, featuring tennis courts, bowling greens, a conservatory, and a boating lake.
This Commonwealth Games 2022 venue will host the time trial cycling, where individual riders will be pitted against the clock. The qualifiers will then move to St Nicholas Park in Warwick for the road race.
Around 80 cyclists, both men and women, are expected to participate in the time trial event.
Address: 76 Park Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4PH
Contact: 01902 551155
Sport: Road cycling time trial
Dates: 4 August 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Connaught Rd (6 min walk)
Train station: Wolverhampton (25 min walk)
14. Victoria Square
Birmingham’s Victoria Square will be a sporting and cultural landmark for the Games. It will also be the official finish area for the Marathon events that would start at Smithfield.
These marathon events include the men’s marathon, women’s marathon and the men’s and women’s T53/T54 events.
Address: Birmingham, B1 1BB
Sport: Athletics – Marathon
Dates: 30 July 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: Colmore Row (Stop Sh11) (3 min walk)
Train station: Birmingham New Street (15 min walk)
Outside West Midlands
15. Lee Valley VeloPark (London)
The 2012 Olympic Games venue – Lee Valley VeloPark, will host the track and para track cycling games.
Lee Valley VeloPark is at the northern end of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and has also staged the Track Cycling World Championships in 2016.
The venue boasts a 6,760- capacity velodrome, a BMX racing track, a one-mile road course and 5 miles of mountain bike trails.
Address: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Abercrombie Road, London, E20 3A
Contact: 0300 003 0613
Sport: Track cycling and para track cycling
Dates: 29 July-1 August 2022
Nearest transport stop:
Bus stop: The Copper Box (M) (2 min walk)
Train station: Stratford International (14 min walk)
DLR station: Stratford International DLR (15 min walk)
Additional Information
Here are a couple of other details related to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games:
- The Commonwealth Games tickets are only available on the Birmingham2022.com website and are being sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- The Commonwealth Games tickets per session will cost £22 for adults and £8 for under-16 (for some events.) The cheapest adult tickets for some sessions will be £15.
- Are you based outside the United Kingdom? Then head to the international tickets website to check if your nation has a separate arrangement for tickets via its Commonwealth Games Association.
- In addition to the Commonwealth Games tickets, you can buy an exclusive range of Birmingham Commonwealth Games merchandise at Birmingham2022.com. You can also visit the website to get the latest news and most up-to-date information regarding the Games.
- Aston Villa (Villa Park), which had hosted the Rugby World Cup match in 2015 (South Africa vs Samoa), was initially set to host the rugby sevens game. However, its name has been dropped from the Commonwealth Games 2022 venue. The Coventry Arena will host the game instead.
- The Birmingham 2022 Festival – the largest ever cultural programme for Commonwealth Games England has commenced and will continue until September 2022.
- The bookings for individual events of the Birmingham 2022 festival are now open. Visit birmingham2022.com/festival for more information.
- Ahead of the Games, the Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council will host a series of engagement events for the area’s residents. The online and face-to-face sessions will cover the Birmingham 2022 Festival, temporary road closures and diversions, travel advice, and more.