This week will see the schedule announced for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with netball fans having every reason to be excited.
Friday this week (February 26th) will see the announcement of the full schedule for the event, which runs from July 29th to August 8th next year.
Few things could have provided the sport in the UK with a bigger boost than England’s victory in the gold medal match in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The thrilling 52-51 win over hosts Australia on the Gold Coast will have encouraged many girls to take up netball – and the fact that the next games will be held here in England offers even more reason to be excited.
Because there are few men’s teams, Netball is not an Olympic sport, so it wasn’t on show in the 2012 Games in London. But girls living in the capital will be excited at the chance to take a train ride or road trip to the Midlands to see the sport at its highest level.
Those keen to get into the sport ahead of the games can check out our Kingston Netball Lessons to learn and improve their skills, as well as building up the camaraderie of teamwork and build new friendships.
Birmingham’s netball fixtures will be held at the National Exhibition Centre, an easily accessible venue as it is close to the M42 motorway and next to Birmingham International Railway Station, which has direct links to Euston.
Having staged many major sporting events and shows, the venue will be an atmospheric place to see if the heroes of 2018 can do it again.
The 2022 Games will have the largest female competition element ever, with new sports including women’s T20 cricket, beach volleyball and para table tennis.
But after their show-stopping gold on the Gold Coast, there is no doubt England’s netball team will be top of the bill.