Birmingham 2022 Loses Villa Park As Commonwealth Games Venue

Birmingham’s Villa Park, home of Premier League club Aston Villa, will no longer be a host venue at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

BBC reports:

The unexpected change comes because it is anticipated the football season will start earlier that year, with the World Cup in Qatar being in November. As a result, there cannot be a commitment that Aston Villa’s 43,000-seater stadium will be available for the dates required for the Games in July and August.

The change – following a review – means rugby sevens having to relocate to the smaller Coventry Stadium, the home of Wasps (photo below). Judo and wrestling will now be held on the same site in Coventry.

Netball will move from the Coventry Indoor Arena to the bigger National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, which will be a boost to the sport.