£70m funding for Commonwealth Games stadium

Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium will be given £70m to transform into a “world-class athletics venue” for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the government has announced.

The stadium will host athletes from across the Commonwealth competing in track and field, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. Plans are underway for its capacity to increase from 12,700 to 40,000 for the Games, and retain 20,000 permanent seats after the event.

It will also have new community sports facilities, a permanent warm-up track and a new conference meeting space created to host business and cultural events after the Games.

Theresa May will visit the city today as it prepares to take the baton from Australia’s Gold Coast at the closing ceremony this Sunday.

May said: “Birmingham’s dynamism, diversity and ambition capture exactly what it is to be part of the Commonwealth and I’m sure that in four years’ time, the people of this city will host an incredible event which showcases the very best of Britain to the world.

“The investment I am announcing today will transform the stadium into a state-of-the-art facility benefitting the local community and the region well beyond 2022.”