After 11 days of high-octane action, the 2022 Commonwealth Games - officially known as the XXII Commonwealth Games - is set to come to an end.
The international sporting event, which took place in Birmingham this year – and was therefore called Birmingham 2022 – kicked off on July 28.
Showcasing the athletic talent of over 5,000 athletes from members of the 72 Commonwealth nations across 19 multiple sports, the Games will come to an end today (August 8) with a closing ceremony.
The final medals will be handed out during the ceremony and the baton will be passed on to the country that will be hosting them next.
Here's everything you need to know about the closing ceremony, as well as when and where the next Commonwealth Games will be held.
When are the next Commonwealth Games?
The Commonwealth Games are held every four years, just the like the Olympics. This means the next Commonwealth Games will take place in 2026.
The 2026 Games will start on March 17 and finish on March 29.
Where are the next Commonwealth Games being held?
The next Commonwealth Games will take place in Victoria in Australia.
Though the Games are usually hosted by a single city, the 2026 Games will be a bit different. They will happen in four regional sites in the state of Victoria: Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland.
The opening ceremony will be held in state capital Melbourne, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Games will be held across different regions in these venues:
Geelong hub
- Kardinia Aquatic Centre – aquatics (swimming, para swimming and diving)
- Eastern Beach – beach volleyball, triathlon
- Kardinia Park – cricket T20
- Stead Park, Corio – hockey
Ballarat hub
- Eureka Stadium – athletics and para-athletics
- Ballarat Sports Events Centre – boxing
Bendigo hub
- Bendigo Bowls Club – lawn bowls
- Bendigo Stadium – netball
Gippsland hub
- Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium – badminton
- Latrobe City Stadium – rugby sevens
When is the closing ceremony for Commonwealth 2022?
The closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games will be taking place at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium on Monday, August 8, the live broadcast beginning at 8pm and lasting till 10pm.
You can watch it live on BBC One or catch it later online on BBC One on iPlayer.
The ceremony will be hosted by Clare Balding with a line-up of musicians set to entertain, including veteran reggae band UB40, soul singer Beverley Knight and R&B hit Jorja Smith.
Three-time Mercury Prize-nominated musician Laura Mvula will also be giving a special performance of a newly commissioned track inspired by Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand, the TV series’ theme song.
Martin Green CBE, the chief creative officer of Birmingham 2022, said: “We wanted to create a spectacular line-up of global artists from the West Midlands for an exhilarating musical production to conclude an unforgettable 11 days of sport and culture."
