The World Games are held every four years, in the year following each Summer Olympic Games. This year, Magic City has the honor of hosting! In 2015, the International World Game Executive Committee selected Birmingham to host The World Games 2021 (which was delayed a year due to the pandemic). Birmingham beat out bids from Lima, Peru, and Ufa, Russia. The World Games 2022 (TWG 2022) will mark the first time Birmingham has hosted an international multi-sport event, and the town is simply abuzz with excitement!
From July 7 to 17, Birmingham will welcome fans from across the globe and thousands of elite athletes from more than 100 countries. Staged over 11 days, TWG 2022 will take place at various venues across the Birmingham metro area, including Protective Stadium, Legion Field, the Birmingham CrossPlex, and the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
TWG 2022 brings together 3,600 of the world’s best athletes to compete in 30+ unique, multidisciplinary sports, including breakdancing, drone racing, flag football, lacrosse, roller sports, softball, sumo, tug of war, and wheelchair rugby. In addition to the sports competitions, this year’s festivities will also boast star-studded opening and closing ceremonies.
Throughout TWG 2022, attendees can also enjoy The World Games Plaza, set to be staged at City Walk. The plaza will feature live entertainment, sports demonstrations, and other activities. Read on to get the rundown of the event details, from parking info to bag policies and more.
THE OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES
The World Games 2022 will kick off with an opening ceremony on July 7 at Protective Stadium. Titled “Unlocking the Magic: Celebrating the Power of One,” the presentation will be a colorful celebration of sports and Birmingham’s past, present, and future. The event will also feature musical performances by Alabama, Nelly, Sara Evans, Sheila E., Tony! Toni! Tone!, and Yolanda Adams. It will also feature poetry by spoken word artist, musician, educator, and Birmingham native Sharrif Simmons.
Global superstar and Alabama native Lionel Richie will headline the closing ceremonies on July 17 at Protective Stadium. Titled “One World-One People: Celebrating Legacy, Achievement and Unity,” the closing ceremonies will also showcase other iconic performers from Alabama, including Blind Boys of Alabama and Jamey Johnson. Alabama’s American Idols, Taylor Hicks, Reuben Studdard, and Bo Bice will be on stage together for the first time. The renowned Martha Reeves will perform “Dancing in the Streets.” Five-time Stellar Award winner Pastor Mike Jr. and rising rap sensation Yung Bleu will perform, as will The Voice’s mother/daughter trio Worth The Wait.
Funk legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bootsy Collins will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the opening and closing ceremonies. Many of the performers who will take the stage at the ceremonies are featured in The World Games 2022 official theme song, “Hope of Alabama,” which was produced by World Games Artistic Director Dr. Henry Panion III and penned by Alabama’s Randy Owen, his daughter Allison Owen, and Panion. “Hope of Alabama” will be featured throughout the opening and closing ceremonies.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
The World Games 2022 will feature 34 different multidisciplinary sports, with competitions held in more than 25 venues across the Birmingham metro area. Action-packed competitions like drone racing and speed skating will be held in the city’s heart. If that tickles your fancy, the drone racing will be at Protective Stadium, while speed skating will take place at Powell Steam Plant, located on 18th Street adjacent to Railroad Park. “As exciting as speed skating is, can you imagine just how much more thrilling it will be to watch international athletes go zipping by on streets in downtown Birmingham?” asked Nick Sellers, CEO of The World Games 2022.
TWG 2022 will give the USA Women’s National Softball Team a chance to avenge their gold medal loss to Japan in last year’s summer Olympics. One of Team USA’s returning Olympians is Haylie McCleney, who grew up near Birmingham and played softball at the University of Alabama, where she was a four-time All-American.
Here’s a list of all the sports programs featured in The World Games 2022:
- Air Sports
- Archery
- Billiards
- Boules Sports
- Bowling
- Canoeing
- DanceSport
- Duathlon
- Finswimming
- Fistball
- Flying Disc
- Gymnastics
- Beach Handball
- Ju-Jitsu
- Karate
- Kickboxing
- Korfball
- Lacrosse
- Lifesaving
- Muaythai
- Orienteering
- Powerlifting
- Racquetball
- Roller Sports
- Softball
- Sport Climbing
- Squash
- Sumo
- Tug of War
- Water Ski and Wakeboard
- Wheelchair Rugby
- Wushu
- Flag Football
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
The World Games 2022 will be held at venues across the Birmingham Metro area, including:
- Avondale Park
- Barber Motorsports Park
- Birmingham Crossplex
- BJCC
- Boutwell Auditorium
- Birmingham Southern College
- Hoover Met
- John Carroll High School
- Legion Field
- Oak Mountain State Park
- Protective Stadium
- Railroad Park
- Sloss Furnaces
- UAB
Parking
Legion Field and the TWG 2022 East Parking Lots, located at 5th Ave S and 33rd St S, will have the highest number of dedicated parking spaces but there will be limited spots near most venues, particularly in entertainment areas such as Avondale, Parkside, and Five Points West.
Ride the Line
Once you park, you can “Ride the Line” for free. Made possible by a partnership between the City of Birmingham, the BJCTA, and the Birmingham Organizing Committee, shuttle buses will be running throughout the games to efficiently and safely transport spectators to and from various venues. The shuttles, which will transport riders at no cost, are part of a transportation plan called “Ride the Line.” All Ride, the Line buses, are free for World Games fans and will conduct drop-offs at the closest entryway. The shuttles will be clean and air-conditioned and include information and signage about Ride the Line routes, the sports venues, and event schedules to get you where you need to go. Additional information about the plan, including detailed maps showing bus routes and stops, can be found online at twg2022.com.
What to Bring
Each fan may bring one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ by 6″ by 12,″ or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. Unopened water bottles will be permitted, so throw some in your bag. After all, it’s July in Alabama, so it will be HOT!
Here’s what NOT to bring:
- Umbrellas
- Sealed packages of any kind
- Briefcases
- Backpacks
- Aerosol Cans (including suntan lotion)
- Commercial photographic or video cameras or recording devices
- Tripods or Monopods for cameras
- Hard coolers or similar containers
- Glass bottles or cans
- Noise-making devices
- Computers/Laptops/iPads/Kindles
- Food (except for medical dietary or infant purposes)
- Beverages (excluding 20 oz. or smaller sealed plastic water bottles)
- Weapons (regardless of permit)
- Pets (unless a service animal)
Concessions will be available at each venue.
The World Games 2022 will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you won’t want to miss. To purchase tickets and learn more about The World Games 2022, visit twg2022.com. All photography courtesy of The World Games.
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