The Commonwealth Games is back for 2022 with the opening ceremony kicking off live from Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Clare Balding will lead the live coverage as the 22nd Commonwealth Games is officially declared open.
Duran Duran will headline while a parade will welcome this year's competitors. The opening ceremony will also feature the homecoming of the Queen’s Baton Relay.
Tony Lommi of Black Sabbath and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra will also be performing at the event, which has been produced by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. But what time does the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony start, how long is it on and how can you watch it live? Here's everything you need to know.
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What time is the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony tonight?
The opening ceremony will kick off on Thursday, July 28 on BBC One. Live coverage will start at 7pm on the channel, but the ceremony is set to begin at 8pm.
TV coverage of the spectacular event will be broadcast for three hours and 30 minutes, ending at 10.30pm. It means The One Show has been cancelled and BBC News at Ten has been pushed back.
The first full day of sporting action begins on Friday, July 29. There are 19 sports and eight para-sports at this year’s games, which you can see in full here.
How to watch the Commonwealth Games on TV
The opening ceremony will air on BBC One but the BBC will broadcast more than 200 hours of live sport coverage across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Three with even more coverage available on up to 11 streams on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website, plus additional live coverage on the Red Button.
Daily live TV coverage will be led by Hazel Irvine, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan, Jason Mohammad, Holly Hamilton and Ayo Akinwolere from Thursday 28 July. JJ Chalmers and Isa Guha will bring viewers an evening highlights show on BBC One.
Joining them will be an expert line up of former Olympians and top class athletes to offer their insight and analysis as the events unfold in Birmingham.
BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 Sports Extra will bring live commentary for athletics, swimming, netball, cricket and boxing, as well as updates on all the sporting events across the daily programming
Director of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater, said: "The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are one of the stand out events taking place in an incredible summer of sport. With the event back on British soil once more, we are thrilled to bring audiences unrivalled cross-platform coverage as sport stars from the Home Nations and Commonwealth countries give it their all."
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