Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games: Schedule, highlights, new sports and more

The 2022 Commonwealth Games are set to begin on the 28th of July in Birmingham.

The games will include 72 teams from the 54 Commonwealth countries and 18 territories, all of which will compete across a range of events in the jam-packed line up, including various new sports and disciplines added to this year's games. Among the new events for 2022 are women's cricket, 3x3 basketball and mixed synchronised diving - which are set to add some variation to the traditional line-up.

The games will run for 11 days between July 28th to August 8th 2022 and with the first event fast approaching, we're here to help. We're going to give you a breakdown of this year's line-up, as well as some highlighted events to keep an eye on and much more. You can also check out the answers to some key questions at the end.

Things to look out for

Track stars

Although the world championships have only just concluded, it's non stop for the track athletes leading the pack. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson who have proved to be the top three sprinters so far this year, are all expected to appear in Birmingham.

The 200m bronze medallist and gold medallist with the 4x100m relay team, Dina Asher-Smith, would likely have been the focal point of the group, but after pulling up with an injury in Oregon earlier this year, she has withdrawn from Birmingham competitions. Johnson-Thompson will be aiming to close the small gap to the top, and put on a great show for the home crowd with Asher-Smith's absence.

All new cricket

For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games, we'll see women's cricket take to the stage. The last time cricket appeared in the schedule was in the 1998 men’s event in Kuala Lumpur. Now women's T20 cricket will have heads turned as they take the baton and compete in a fast paced Twenty20 format. This will also be the first time T20 will make an appearance at the games, which will be showcased at the iconic Edgbaston grounds. Competing teams include Australia, Barbados, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

England netball

For too long Australia and New Zealand have dominated the world of international netball, consistently winning every trophy under the sun. That was until 2018, when all but one of the major trophies at the Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games were split between them. That year, England managed to steal the gold medal from the Aussies in an historical 52-51. They will now return to the court to defend their title on home soil which should provide some of the most intense gameplay we've seen in years - the stakes could not be higher.

Para sports

The integration of para sports has only been furthered for 2022. Para sports will now be run side-by-side non-disabled competitions which makes this year's event the largest united para sport schedule in the history of the Commonwealth Games. Eight para sports will award a record 283 medals across all events, including: athletics, cycling, weightlifting, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, 3x3 wheelchair basketball and lawn bowls. Keep an eye out for previous paralympic champions searching for even more glory, such as Hannah Cockroft and Maisie Summers-Newton.

New events

3x3 Basketball

Making its first appearance at the Commonwealth Games, is 3x3 basketball. While the traditional 5x5 basketball has now been played twice at the Games, first in 2006 in Melbourne, it will now be joined by the 3x3 version.

3x3 Wheelchair Basketball

As one of the most popular para sports out there, wheelchair basketball will now be featuring a new 3x3 format. There will be 12 teams competing, 6 men's teams: England, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Australia, Canada and Malaysia. And 6 women's teams: England, South Africa, Scotland, Australia, Canada and Kenya.

Para table tennis

Having been included as one of just eight sports at the first ever Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960, para table tennis carries a proud history in the sporting world. It will now be one of the events in Paris 2024 Paralympics, but first will come its appearance in Birmingham this year.

Judo

2022 marks the first time that Judo will be a core sport in the Commonwealth Games. It has previously appeared three times on the schedule, but only ever as an optional sport.

Twenty20 cricket

The last of the new sports added to this year's lineup is the T20 Cricket. This is the first time T20 has been seen on the Commonwealth Games schedule, and also the first time that women's cricket of any kind has made an appearance at the Games.

Important information

When are the games taking place?

The 2022 Commonwealth Games will commence on Thursday 28th July with the opening ceremony. It will be followed by 10 days of sporting events which will come to an end on Monday 8th August.

Where are the games being held?

The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which is a large city based in the west midlands.

The events will take place at a range of different locations across the city:

• Alexander Stadium - Athletics
• Arena Birmingham - Gymnastics
• Edgbaston Ground - Cricket (Women's T20)
• Sutton Park - Triathlon
• University of Birmingham - Hockey and squash
• Smithfield - 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, marathon (start)
• Victoria Square - Marathon (finish)
• Cannock Chase Forest - Cycling (mountain biking)
• Coventry Stadium and Arena - Rugby 7s, judo, wrestling

What sports are being played?

Full sports list:

• Aquatics - diving
• Aquatics - swimming and para swimming
• Athletics and para athletics
• Badminton
• Basketball 3x3
• Beach volleyball
• Boxing
• Women's Cricket T20
• Cycling - mountain bike
• Cycling - road race
• Cycling - time trial
• Cycling - track and para track
• Gymnastics - artistic
• Gymnastics - rhythmic
• Hockey
• Judo
• Lawn bowls and para lawn bowls
• Netball
• Para powerlifting
• Rugby sevens
• Squash
• Table tennis and para table tennis
• Triathlon and para triathlon
• Wheelchair basketball 3x3
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

When is each sport being played?

Schedule by sport

• Athletics and Para Athletics: Tuesday, August 2–Sunday, August 7
• Badminton: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 8
• Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball: Friday, July 29–Tuesday, August 2
• Beach Volleyball: Saturday, July 30–Sunday, August 7
• Boxing: Friday, July 29–Thursday, August 4, Saturday, August 6–Sunday, August 7
• Cricket: Friday, July 29--Sunday, July 31, Tuesday, August 2–Thursday, August 4, Saturday, August 6–Sunday, August 7
• Cycling–Mountain Bike: Wednesday, August 3
• Cycling–Road Race: Sunday, August 7
• Cycling–Time Trial: Thursday, August 4
• Cycling–Track & Para Track: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 1
• Diving: Thursday, August 4–Monday, August 8
• Gymnastics–Artistic: Friday, July 29–Tuesday, August 2
• Gymnastics–Rhythmic:Thursday, August 4–Saturday, August 6
• Hockey: Friday, July29–Monday, August 8
• Judo: Monday, August 1–Wednesday, August 3
• Lawn Bowls and Para Lawn Bowls: Friday, July 29–Saturday, August 6
• Marathon: Saturday, July 30
• Netball: Friday, July 29–Sunday, August 7
• Para Powerlifting: Thursday, August 4
• Rugby Sevens: Friday, July 29–Sunday, July 31
• Squash: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 8
• Swimming and Para Swimming: Friday, July 29–Wednesday, August 3
• Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 8
• Triathlon and Para Triathlon: Friday, July 29, Sunday, July 31
• Weightlifting: Saturday, July 30–Wednesday, August 3
• Wrestling: Friday, August 5–Saturday, August 6

Check out the full schedule.

How can I watch the games?

This will depend on where you are watching from, but in the UK the BBC have exclusive rights to broadcast the 2022 Commonwealth Games.Viewers will be able to watch on BBC's standard TV channels, as well their online sites - BBCSport and iPlayer.