The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will begin today (Thursday, July 28).

Over the following 11 days, more than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations will compete in 280 events across 19 sports.

It comes almost 10 years to the day since the critically-acclaimed opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

READ MORE: Commonwealth Games events schedule 2022 - See the full list

Local government officials hope Birmingham 2022 can be the catalyst to attract other major sporting events to the city and the West Midlands over the next decade, including a potential bid for the World Athletics Championships.

The city will also host the World Trampolining Championships and the International Blind Sport World Games next year and will find out later this year whether a bid to stage the 2026 European Athletics Championships has been successful.

Birmingham City Council Leader Ian Ward added: “I’d very much like us to end the golden decade (of hosting events) with the possibility of bringing the World Athletics Championships to the city, but we’ll have to see where we go.

“We have ongoing conversations with World Athletics about what the options are. Our ambition, as set out in our strategy, is to be a global sporting city by the end of this decade.”

Here is a full list of venues that will be hosting Commonwealth Games events in and around Birmingham.

Commonwealth Games locations

Alexander Stadium - Opening and closing ceremony, Athletics and Para Athletics

Arena Birmingham - Gymnastics

Cannock Chase Forest - Cycling (Mountain Bike)

Coventry Arena - Judo and Wrestling

Coventry Stadium - Rugby Sevens

Edgbaston Stadium - Cricket (T20)

Lee Valley VeloPark - Cycling (Track and Para Track)

The NEC - Badminton, Boxing, Netball, Para Powerlifting, Table Tennis, Para Table Tennis and Weightlifting

Sandwell Aquatics Centre - Diving, Swimming and Para Swimming

Smithfield - Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball and Beach Volleyball

Sutton Park - Triathlon and Para Triathlon

University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre - Hockey and Squash

Victoria Park - Lawn bowls and Para Lawn Bowls

Victoria Square - Athletics (Marathon finish area)

Warwick - Cycling (Road race)

West Park - Cycling (Time Trial)

A full list of the events and when they take place can be found here.