Your Guide to The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
Not long to go now!
On the 28th July, the world will converge on Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area to enjoy just under 2 weeks of top-quality international sporting action. To help you plan for the big event, we’ve put together a handy guide to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
What Are The Commonwealth Games?
Before we go any further, let’s take some a moment to find out more about the Commonwealth Games.
First held in 1930, this esteemed competition was established to put the best athletes in the Commonwealth – composed of countries who were former members of the British Empire – to the test. Since then, it has evolved into a celebration of inclusion and diversity, where its participants perform in the spirit of friendship and fairness.
Like the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games is held every four years, and features sports such as badminton, boxing, cycling and table tennis alongside a range of athletics competitions. Paralympians and parasports are also a big part of the action.
2022 represents the third time the Games have been held in England, with Birmingham following in the footsteps of London (1934) and Manchester (2002).
So What Does This Have To Do With Coventry?
A lot. Not only are Birmingham and other Midlands locations within easy reach of our city (more on that later), Coventry will also be hosting a selection of events itself. Among these are judo, wrestling and rugby, which will all take place at Coventry Arena.
As the stadium is within travelling distance of Coventry City Centre, thanks to regular buses and trains, this is your opportunity to enjoy some world-class sporting contests in the flesh. You can purchase tickets for these events here.
Other 2022 Commonwealth Games Locations
Coventry aside, it won’t be a surprise to learn that Birmingham will be hosting the lion’s share of the events. Illustrious venues such as the NEC, Edgbaston Stadium and Alexander Stadium have all been selected for the occasion thanks to their world-class facilities and reputation on the global stage.
In terms of how to get to these places, if you’re a student it might be more practical to take advantage of the many public transport links afforded by Transport for West Midlands. In some instances, local travel costs will even be included in the price of your Games ticket. Please be sure to check this before you make the trip.
If you’re just planning to spend some time soaking up the atmosphere during the Games, remember that there are Daytripper tickets, weekly passes and the option for unlimited travel on all buses, trains and trams in the West Midlands. The latter may be ideal if you plan to venture further out to places like Sandwell or Cannock before returning home to Coventry.
Staying over at a hotel or Airbnb is an option too – just be sure you book a room before these fill up. Operators may also decide to put their prices up to capitalise on the influx of tourists to the local area, so keep that in mind as well.
Ticket Affordability
As a student, budgeting will always be one of your biggest concerns. Luckily, the organisers of the 2022 Commonwealth Games have taken finances into account across the board, and are proud to offer tickets at reasonable prices, starting at just £15 for adults. These will also be sold without ticket fees, to help you save even more money.
Work At The Commonwealth Games
If you’re on the hunt for a summer job whilst taking a break from your studies, the Games is still recruiting people for a number of roles. Working at the event will allow you to experience things from a different perspective and will look great on your CV. There may even be some additional perks too!
Click here to have a look through what’s on offer.
Don’t Miss Out!
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is one of the biggest multi-sport events to be held in the UK for a decade. Don’t miss out on your chance to get involved. You just might regret it!
