Alexander Stadium

Location: Perry Barr, Birmingham

Sports: Athletics and Para-athletics

One of the central venues for the Commonwealth Games, the Alexander Stadium will stage the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Athletes will also compete in track and field events from August 2 to 7 at the venue which is undergoing a PS72.4 million ($97.9 million/EUR80.3 million) revamp before the Games.

With the new west stand in place, the stadium will be able to hold 18,000 spectators while additional temporary stands will increase the capacity to 30,000.

Construction is progressing well and on schedule, including on the work to install a striking new blue athletics track.

A new warm-up track has been finished, and the venue could host a Diamond League meeting as a test event for the Commonwealth Games.

In November 2021, the Commonwealth Games Federation Coordination Commission visit was impressed with the venue's progress.

First opened in 1976, the facility became the home of UK Athletics in 2011 following a PS12.5 million ($17.43 million/EUR14.43 million) refurbishment which saw the creation of the 5,000-seater east stand.

Since holding its first Diamond League Meeting that year, the stadium has staged the British Grand Prix ever since.

Founded in 1877, athletics club Birchfield Harriers were based at Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium before moving to the Alexander Stadium in 1977.

It has since become a hotbed for talented British athletes including Denise Lewis, Katharine Merry, Mark Lewis-Francis, Kelly Sotherton and Peter Radford.

Arena Birmingham

Location: Birmingham

Sports: Artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics

Formerly known as the National Indoor Arena, the venue will become the home of the artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics events during the Commonwealth Games.

It is not the first time the Arena Birmingham has staged artistic gymnastics having hosted the European Championships in 2010.

World champions in netball, judo, trampoline, badminton and wheelchair basketball have been crowned at the arena since it opened in 1991.

It also played host to the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2003 and 2018 as well as the European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2007.

The arena underwent a PS26 million ($36.26 million/EUR30 million) redevelopment which was completed in December 2014.

With a capacity of 15,800, it is the third largest indoor arena in the United Kingdom behind Manchester Arena and the O2 Arena in London.

As well as staging events, the Arena Birmingham - which is situated opposite the National Sea Life Centre in Brindleyplace - regularly holds comedy and music gigs and notably held the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998.

Artistic gymnastics is set to take place from July 29 to August 2 before the rhythmic gymnastics takes centre stage from August 4 to 6.

Cannock Chase Forest

Location: Birches Valley, Rugeley

Sports: Mountain bike

Mountain bikers are set to tackle Birches Valley in Cannock Chase Forest in a bid to be crowned Commonwealth Games champion in 2022.

A total of 2,000 tickets are expected to be available for the event, which is scheduled to be held on August 3.

Situated in Staffordshire, Cannock Chase is the northernmost venue for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Home to two established waymarked trails, called "Follow the Dog" and the "Monkey Trail", Birches Valley is known as a prime location for mountain biking.

The site is managed by Forestry England and is the base for Cannock Chase Cycle Centre.

A new off-road cycling trail will be created ahead of the Games as part of a PS900,000 ($1.25 million/EUR1 million) legacy project that bids to encourage residents to be active outdoors.

Sport England, British Cycling and local councils have injected money into the scheme which will also see the creation of a "bike play trail" aimed at helping youngsters develop their mountain biking skills.

Coventry Arena

Location: Coventry

Sports: Rugby sevens, judo and wrestling

Rugby sevens will grace the Coventry Arena pitch while the judo and wrestling competitions will be held in the exhibition hall.

The stadium bowl has seating for 32,609 spectators and is currently the home of Wasps Rugby. Coventry City Football Club will again use the stadium from the 2021-2022 season.

It also played host to football matches during the London 2012 Olympic Games when it was called the City of Coventry Stadium.

In addition to the stadium bowl, the venue comprises of a 6,000-square metre and column-free exhibition centre, which has staged Wasps Netball's home matches since 2017.

Built on the site of gasworks in 2005, the arena is situated close to the M6 motorway and has its own railway station.

Ahead of the Games, the Coventry Arena received a PS5.3 million ($6.92 million/EUR5.87 million) investment from the United Kingdom Government to create a Commonwealth Convention Centre with its conferencing and exhibition facilities undergoing a revamp.

Rugby sevens is due to take place from July 29 to 31, followed by the judo from August 1 to 3 and then wrestling on August 5 and 6.

Edgbaston Stadium

Location: Edgbaston, Birmingham

Sports: Women's T20 cricket

Women's Twenty 20 cricket will make its Commonwealth Games debut at one of the country's leading venues for the sport.

Edgbaston Stadium is the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club and regularly hosts Test and one-day international matches.

It is often recognised for its raucous atmosphere, proving a fortress for England when facing arch-rivals Australia in The Ashes.

West Indies legend Brian Lara famously scored 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston Stadium in 1994, which remains the highest score in first-class cricket history.

The ground, which opened in 1886, also notably staged the final of the inaugural edition of the Women's World Cup in 1973 with England overcoming Australia.

Its capacity increased to 25,000 following a PS32 million ($44.56 million/EUR36.9 million) redevelopment in 2011.

Further improvement works are being made ahead of the Commonwealth Games including a new 56,500 square foot plaza at the entrance to the ground and extra parking spaces.

The women's T20 cricket competition is scheduled to run from July 29 to August 6 with rest days on August 1 and August 5.

Lee Valley VeloPark

Location: London

Capacity: 6,750

Sports: Track cycling and Para-track cycling

Opened: 2011

Lee Valley VeloPark will be the only Birmingham 2022 venue to be situated outside of the West Midlands when it stages the track and Para-track cycling.

After undergoing a PS105 million ($146.2 million/EUR121.1 million) construction, the 6,760-capacity velodrome was opened in 2011 ahead of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It proved a successful venue for the host nation, which won seven out of a possible 10 gold medals at the Olympics before racking up 15 medals including five golds at the Paralympics.

The centre, situated on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, was opened for the public in 2014 and staged the Track Cycling World Championships in 2016.

Track and Para-track cycling is due to be held at Lee Valley VeloPark from July 29 to August 1.

National Exhibition Centre

Location: Marston Green, Solihull

Sports: Badminton, boxing, table tennis and Para-table tennis, weightlifting, netball and Para-powerlifting

The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and NEC Arena are set to be the busiest venues with six sports taking place there during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Opened by The Queen in 1976, the NEC originally consisted of seven exhibition halls before adding 11 more along with 32 conference suites.

The separate NEC Arena has 15,685 seats and will play host to the Birmingham 2022 netball competition from July 29 to August 7.

There are plans to increase the capacity to 21,600 but the PS45 million ($62.66 million/EUR51.9 million) expansion project will not start until after the Games due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Weightlifting and Para-powerlifting are set to take place at Hall One, table tennis at Hall Three, boxing at Hall Four and badminton at Hall Five.

Hotels at the NEC complex, situated next to Birmingham International railway station, will also accommodate 1,600 athletes and officials.

Sandwell Aquatics Centre

Location: Smethwick

Sports: Swimming and diving

The Sandwell Aquatics Centre is the only new venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and will host the diving and swimming events.

Expected to cost PS73 million ($99 million/EUR82 million) to build, the centre forms part of Birmingham 2022's legacy as it is due to open to the public in 2023.

The facility will feature an Olympic-sized 50-metre swimming pool, a 25m diving pool and a community pool as well as 1,000 permanent seats for spectators with room for additional seating for the Games.

It will also boast three activities studios, two four-court sports halls, a fitness suite complete with a ladies-only gym, dry diving facilities and an indoor cycling studio as well as a football pitch and urban park alongside the centre.

Commonwealth Games and Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty described the project as a "national investment" and believes it can capture the next generation of swimmers.

In November 2021, Birmingham 2022 organisers said they were impressed with progress at the venue with construction currently on time.

Tiles have been laid in all of the pools, the moveable floor is complete and the dive tower steps are in place.

Work will now continue on installing permanent seating, filling the pools for the first time and adding the springboards.

Swimming competitions are scheduled to run from July 29 to August 3, followed by the diving events from August 4 to 8.

Smithfield

Location: Birmingham

Sports: Basketball 3x3, wheelchair basketball 3x3 and beach volleyball

Formerly the site of Birmingham's Wholesale Markets, Smithfield will be the home of the beach volleyball and basketball 3x3 competitions during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The site was cleared in 2018 as part of a major regeneration project with Birmingham 2022 chief executive Ian Reid aiming to transform what he described as a "blank canvas" into a "vibrant venue".

The basketball 3x3 and beach volleyball venues are expected to seat 2,500 and 4,000 spectators respectively.

The Smithfield Market was opened in 1817 on the site of the demolished Birmingham Manor House in a bid to bring all the city's various markets to one place.

During the 1970s, Birmingham City Council cleared the site for the construction of the Inner Ring Road, the Bull Ring shopping centre and the new Wholesale Market.

Considered one of the largest in Europe, the Wholesale Market was moved to a new purpose built premises at the Hub in Witton in 2018.

The basketball 3x3 and wheelchair basketball 3x3 competitions are scheduled to run from July 29 to August 2, while the beach volleyball events are set to be held from July 30 to August 7.

St Nicholas Park

Location: Warwick

Sports: Cycling road race

About 160 cyclists are set to gather at St Nicholas Park for the road race scheduled to be held on the penultimate day of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

After competing in the time trial at West Park in Wolverhampton on August 4, some riders will then head to Warwick on August 7 and aim to come out on top in the road race.

The women's and men's events will start and finish at St Nicholas Park, situated in Warwick town centre and close to Warwick Rail Station.

Originally a meadow, the park was laid out in the 1930s before the St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre was later built to replace the outdoor swimming pool.

A funfair, paddling pool, skate park, BMX track, nine-hole crazy golf course, tennis courts and football pitches also feature at the park which is situated alongside the River Avon.

Spectators will be able to line the route of the road race, which is set to pass Warwick Castle, built by William the Conqueror in 1068.

Sutton Park

Location: Sutton Coldfield

Sports: Triathlon and Para triathlon

About 70 athletes are set to compete in the triathlon and Para triathlon events at Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield on July 29 and 31.

Thousands are expected to line the course over two days of action, which will see athletes complete a 750-metre swim, 20km cycle and 5km run.

Sutton Park was selected as the venue as it houses Powell's Pool, the park and local roads to accommodate all three disciplines.

Plans have been proposed to improve the existing car park surface area and accessibility and to create a new car park entrance to the site.

Sutton Park is a 2,400-acre national nature reserve and is considered to be one of the largest urban parks in Europe.

At 48 acres, Powell's Pool is the biggest of seven lakes at the park and was originally created in 1730 to power a watermill.

The recreational use of Sutton Park started in the 19th century with two horse racing courses created while a 18-hole golf course was set up in 1889.

University of Birmingham

Location: Edgbaston, Birmingham

Sports: Hockey and squash

The University of Birmingham will be the venue for the squash and hockey events during the 2022 Commonwealth Games, as well as the principal Athlete Village for competitors.

The two international-standard hockey pitches, built in 2017 as part of the PS10 million ($14 million/EUR11.5 million) outdoor facilities redevelopment, are being re-carpeted in advance of the Games, and will be split into one competition pitch and one warm-up pitch.

Temporary seating for around 6,000 spectators will be built around the main competition pitch.

In 2017, the university opened a new PS55 million ($76.57 million/EUR63.4 million) Sport & Fitness Club which comprises six squash courts with adjustable walls for larger doubles courts during the Games, as well as 200 seats for spectators.

The 2,000m square indoor arena will also house an all-glass squash court, featuring more than 2,000 seats for spectators.

Lily Owsley and Sophie Bray, who were part of Britain's gold-medal winning women's hockey team at the Rio 2016 Olympics, are among the university's alumni.

Other sporting facilities at the university include a 50m swimming pool and athletics track.

Around 3,000 athletes and officials will also be accommodated at the principal village at the University of Birmingham.

Victoria Park

Location: Leamington

Sports: Lawn Bowls and Para lawn bowls

Leamington's Victoria Park will play host to the lawn bowls and Para lawn bowls events during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Up to 3,000 fans are set to watch the action from July 29 to August 6 with five bowling greens to be used across the competitions.

The park was opened in 1899 to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, before becoming a venue for galas, military parades, flower shows and circuses.

With bowling greens considered to be among the best in the country, it is now known as the home of Bowls England.

The venue annually stages the Bowls England National Championships, attended by 30,000 people in August, and held the Women's World Championship in 1996 and 2004.

The 2007 European Race Walking Cup was also staged at the park which boasts 10 tennis courts, a skate park, a paddling pool and a play area.

Leamington Spa railway station, situated close to Victoria Park, has been revamped and several bowling greens have been upgraded ahead of the Games.

West Park

Location: Wolverhampton

Sports: Road cycling time trial

Around 80 cyclists are expected to take part in the men's and women's time trial events in Wolverhampton.

West Park will be the setting for the start and finish of the time trial - a straight race against the clock for individual cyclists which is a real test of strength and endurance.

It is scheduled to be held on August 4 before riders head to St Nicholas Park in Warwick for the road race on August 7.

Officially opened in 1881, the 43-acre West Park is considered one of England's finest Victorian parks and boasts a conservatory, tennis courts, bowling greens and a boating lake.

In 2005, a Heritage Lottery Fund provided PS2.2 million ($3 million/EUR2.54 million) to refurbish the park which was named on the Heritage National Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in 1986.

Wolverhampton has strong links to road cycling, with the first mass start road race held in the city in 1942.

European track cycling champion Andy Tennant, who won team pursuit silver at Glasgow 2014, was born in Wolverhampton.