The Olympic Games may be just around the corner, but in just over a year’s time the 2022 Commonwealth Games will be getting underway in Birmingham.
On Wednesday, the ballot for tickets opened for local residents in the West Midlands, marking a key moment in the build up to the games, which are taking place in the United Kingdom for the first time since 2014.
Nineteen sports and eight para-sports will take place across a number of venues in the West Midlands, which will see events held in Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull, Leamington Spa, Coventry, Wolverhampton, and Cannock Chase.
Birmingham were officially awarded the Commonwealth Games in 2017 after its bid defeated Liverpool’s. It’s the first time the games are being held in England since they took place in Manchester in 2002, while Glasgow staged the event in 2014.
Here’s all you need to know with just over a year until the 2022 Commonwealth Games kick off.
When are the Commonwealth Games?
The games will take place from 28 July to 8 August in 2022.
How can I watch them?
The BBC have exclusive rights to broadcast the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the UK. Viewers will be able to watch the games across the BBC’s television channels as well as on the iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
Are tickets still available?
Local residents can enter a ballot for tickets from today. You can register and check your eligibility on the 2022 Commonwealth Games website. The main ballot for tickets will open in September, with more than one million tickets available.
Which sports will be involved?
There will be 19 sports held across the two weeks, as well as the biggest ever programme of para-sports. This includes: athletics and para athletics, badminton, basketball 3×3, beach volleyball, boxing, cricket T20, cycling, diving, gymnastics, hockey, judo, lawn bowls and para lawn bowls, netball, para powerlifting, rugby sevens, squash, swimming and para swimming, table tennis and para table tennis, triathlon and para triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling.
Which countries will be competing?
The countries of the Commonwealth take part in the games. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland enter their own teams and do not compete as Team GB as they do in the Olympic Games. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, Jamaica, Nigeria and South Africa all take part, as well as dozens more countries from the 54 member states of the Commonwealth.