How long is the Commonwealth Games on for? When does Birmingham 2022 event end and closing ceremony date

After months of preparation, Birmingham is finally within touching distance of hosting the first Commonwealth Games in England since 2002.

The city is set to welcome 72 teams and around 6,500 athletes and officials to what is set to be the biggest event in the Games’ history.

As well as a record 42 Para-sports events, this summer’s Games is set to be the best-attended ever with 1.2 million tickets already sold.

The Commonwealth Games are set to finally get underway this evening with the highly anticipated opening ceremony.

How to watch the opening ceremony

BBC will show the live broadcast of tonight’s opening ceremony.

Live coverage will begin at 7pm and will run through to 10:30pm on BBC One.

How long is the Commonwealth Games?

Incuding the opening closing ceremony, the Commonwealth Games will run across eleven days in Birmingham.

After beginning today (Thursday 28th July), the Games will come to an end on Monday 8th August.

Every edition of the Games has lasted the same amount of time.

When is the closing ceremony?

The closing ceremony will take place on the final day of the Games (8th August) and will begin at 8:30pm BST - held at Alexander Stadium.

Like the opening ceremony, this will be broadcast live on BBC One with coverage starting at 8pm and ending at 10pm.

Commonwealth Games schedule

Friday, 29 July - day one

Cycling (track): Women’s tandem B sprint, men’s tandem B time trial, women’s team pursuit, men’s team pursuit, women’s team sprint, men’s team sprint

Gymnastics: Men’s team

Swimming: Women’s 400m medley, women’s 200m free, men’s 400m free, men’s 100m back S9, women’s 100m free S9, men’s 200m breast, mixed 4x100m free relay

Triathlon: Women’s sprint, men’s sprint

Saturday, 30 July - day two

Athletics: Women’s and men’s marathon, women’s and men’s T53/54 marathon

Gymnastics: Women’s team

Swimming: Men’s 50m fly, women’s 50m breast, men’s 200m free, S13 men’s 50m free, S13 women’s 50m free, men’s 400m medley, women’s 100m fly, men’s 100m back, women’s and men’s 4x100m free relay

Track cycling: Women’s and men’s individual pursuit, women’s sprint, men’s keirin

Weightlifting: Women’s 49kg, women’s 55kg, men’s 55kg, men’s 61kg

Sunday, 31 July - day three

Gymnastics: Women’s and men’s individual all-around

Rugby sevens: Women and men

Swimming: Women’s 50m free, men’s 200m fly, women’s 200m breast, SB8 men’s 100m breast, S8 women’s 100m back, women’s 100m back, men’s 100m breast, S14 mixed 4x100m free relay, women’s 4x200m free relay

Track cycling: Men’s tandem B sprint, women’s tandem B time trial, women’s points race, women’s time trial, men’s sprint, men’s scratch race

Triathlon: Women’s and men’s PTVI, mixed relay

Weightlifting: Women’s 59kg, men’s 67kg, men’s 73kg

Monday, 1 August - day four

Gymnastics: Women’s vault and uneven bars, men’s floor, rings and pommel horse

Judo: Women’s -48kg, -52kg and -57kg, men’s -60kg and -66kg

Lawn bowls: Women’s singles, men’s triples

Swimming: Women’s 200m back, 200m medley, SB6 100m breast and 50m fly, men’s 100m free, S7 50m free, 50m back and 4x200m free relay

Table tennis: Women’s team

Track cycling: Women’s keirin and scratch race, men’s points race and time trial

Weightlifting: Women’s 64kg and 71kg, men’s 81kg

Tuesday, 2 August - day five

Athletics: Women’s pole vault, discus, T37/38 100m and T33/34 100m, men’s T45-47 100m and 10,000m

Badminton: Mixed team

Basketball (3x3): Women’s and men’s wheelchair, women’s and men’s

Gymnastics: Women’s beam and floor, men’s vault, parallel bars and high bar

Judo: Women’s -63kg and -70kg, men’s -73kg and -81kg

Lawn bowls: women’s fours, men’s pairs, B6-8 para men’s pairs

Swimming: Women’s 100m free, 100m breast, 200m fly, SM10 200m medley and 800m free, men’s 100m fly, 200m back, S10 100m fly, 50m breast, mixed 4x100m medley relay

Table tennis: Men’s team

Weightlifting: Women’s 76kg and 87kg, men’s 96kg

Wednesday, 3 August - day six

Athletics: Women’s 10,000m, shot put, heptathlon and 100m, men’s high jump, F42-44 and F61-64 discus, T37/38 100m, and 100m

Cycling: Women’s and men’s mountain bike cross-country

Judo: Women’s -78kg and +78kg, men’s -90kg, -100kg and +100kg

Lawn bowls: B6-8 para women’s pairs

Squash: Women’s and men’s singles

Swimming: Women’s 400m free, 50m back, 4x100m medley relay and S14 200m free, men’s 200m medley, S14 200m free, 50m free, 1500m free and 4x100m medley, mixed 4x100m medley 34Pt

Weightlifting: Women’s +87kg, men’s 109kg and +109kg

Thursday 4 August - day seven

Athletics: Women’s F42-44 and F61-64 discus and T53/54 1,500m, men’s long jump, T11/12 100m, discus and 110m hurdles

Road cycling: Women’s and men’s time trial

Diving: Women’s 10m platform, men’s 1m springboard

Powerlifting: Women’s lightweight and heavyweight, men’s lightweight and heavyweight

Rhythmic gymnastics: Team

Friday, 5 August - day eight

Athletics: Women’s triple jump and 3,000m steeplechase, men’s shot put, T53/54 100m and decathlon

Diving: Women’s 1m springboard, men’s 3m synchro and 10m synchro

Lawn bowls: Women’s triples, B2-3 para mixed pairs

Rhythmic gymnastics: All-around

Wrestling: Women’s 57kg, 62kg and 68kg, men’s 65kg, 86kg and 125kg

Saturday, 6 August - day nine

Athletics: Women’s high jump, F55-57 shot put, 10km race walk, hammer, 400m hurdles, 800m and 200m, men’s hammer, 3,000m steeplechase, 1,500m, pole vault, 5,000m, 400m hurdles and 200m

Diving: Women’s 3m synchro and 10m synchro, men’s 3m springboard

Lawn bowls: Women’s pairs, men’s singles, men’s fours

Rhythmic gymnastics: Hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon

Table tennis: Women’s classes 3-5 singles and classes 6-10 singles, men’s classes 3-5 singles

Wrestling: Women’s 50kg, 53g and 76kg, men’s 54kg, 74kg and 97kg

Sunday, 7 August - day 10

Athletics: Women’s 100m hurdles, 400m, javelin, 4x100m relay, long jump, 1500m, 5,000m and 4x400m relay, men’s triple jump, 400m, 10km race walk, 4x100m relay, javelin, 800m and 4x400m relay

Beach volleyball: Women, men

Boxing: Women’s minimumweight, light/middleweight, light-flyweight, lightweight, featherweight and middleweight, men’s flyweight, middleweight, light-heavyweight, bantamweight, light-welterweight, light-middleweight, heavyweight, featherweight, welterweight and super-heavyweight

Cricket: Women

Diving: Women’s 3m springboard, men’s 10m platform

Hockey: Women

Netball: Women

Road cycling: Women’s and men’s road race

Squash: Mixed doubles

Table tennis: Women’s singles, men’s doubles and classes 8-10 singles, mixed doubles

Monday, 8 August - day 11

Badminton: Women’s and men’s singles, women’s and men’s doubles, mixed doubles

Diving: Mixed synchro 3m, mixed synchro 10m

Hockey: Men

Squash: Women’s and men’s doubles

Table tennis: Women’s doubles, men’s singles