• First Games to award more medals to women than men;
  • Largest-ever integrated programme of para sport;
  • 43 nations and territories win medals at Birmingham 2022, equalling the record from Gold Coast 2018.
  • Niue wins first-ever Commonwealth Games medal


On the final day of the XXII Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Dame Louise Martin declared that history-making Birmingham 2022 has been a catalyst for positive change.

Birmingham 2022 has set a new benchmark for Commonwealth sport. It was the first time more medals have been awarded to women than men, the largest ever integrated para programme and the most sustainable Commonwealth Games ever hosted. It was also the first major multi-sport event to be hosted with packed stadia and arenas since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Organised and delivered in just four and a half years, Birmingham 2022 transformed the city. 30,000 fans packed out the spectacular Alexander Stadium for 12 consecutive athletics sessions, while more than 1.5million fans filled venues across the region for 11 days of competition, creating an electric atmosphere for athletes. 

The Games will leave a lasting impact too. 40,000 jobs and volunteering opportunities have been created and £38million of investment to help those who need the most support to get physically active is in place. A further £21 million of government investment will help cement the profile of the city and region as a destination of choice which the Commonwealth Games platform has helped create.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “We are emerging from one of the most challenging periods in modern history, where the Covid-19 pandemic has kept us apart. Birmingham 2022 proved to be a special moment when we reunited, when the power of sport to connect us came into sharp focus.

“Not only have we witnessed some iconic sporting moments, we’ve also enjoyed the warmest of welcomes from the people of Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond who have made the Games so much more than just a sporting competition. 

“Birmingham has put on a Commonwealth Games unlike any we’ve seen before. The passionate support across all 19 sports created an atmosphere which spurred our Commonwealth athletes onto new heights.

“Thank you to Birmingham for everything you have done to welcome the Commonwealth with pride, humanity and open arms. What a bold, buzzing and brilliant city.”

Commonwealth Games Federation CEO, Katie Sadlier said: “The summer of 2022 will go down in history as a major moment for women’s sport. The Commonwealth Games can take great pride in the role it played in that as hockey, cricket and netball teams battled it out for gold on Super Sunday in front of packed stadia and arenas. 

“The future is bright for Commonwealth sport, that is clear from the brilliant spectacle we’ve witnessed over the past 11 days. 

“As the focus turns to Victoria 2026, the Commonwealth Sport Movement has emerged stronger than ever thanks to the outstanding contribution of Birmingham 2022.”

John Crabtree, Chair of Birmingham 2022, said: “The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has been an incredibly successful event, from the packed venues to the bustling city squares, from the warm welcome to the outpouring of pride and joy across the city and region. We were always confident that people across Birmingham and the West Midlands would embrace the Games, but the reaction has surpassed even our expectations.  
  
“The success of Birmingham 2022 is down to the partners and supporters, but principally the thousands of people, our workforce, volunteers and every spectator. The work starts now to ensure that the benefits of the ‘Games for Everyone’ reach far and wide.”

Commonwealth Games Minister Nigel Huddleston said: "It’s been a record breaking Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. We’ve raised the bar on inclusivity and diversity with more women's medals than men's and the biggest para sport programme in the Games history.

“Our home nation athletes have made us all proud, cheered on by an army of 13,000 volunteers and some of the biggest crowds the city has ever seen with more than 1.5 million tickets sold. The Games truly have showcased the best of Birmingham and the West Midlands to the world.”

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “I'm so proud of the way Birmingham has come together to stage an unforgettable Commonwealth Games. This has been a celebration of everything that's great about our city and perceptions and our global image has changed immeasurably for the better over the last 11 days. The Games have given us a springboard for what will be a golden decade as we continue show what it means to be bold, be Birmingham.”