2022 World Games

The 2021 World Games is an international sporting competition scheduled to be held in Birmingham in July 2021. The event, which debuted in 1981, brings together approximately 4,000 athletes from 100 countries every four years to compete in dozens of sports that are not contested at the Olympic Games.

The International World Games Association is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and acts under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. Birmingham's organizers, led by Scott Myers and Edgar Weldon of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and accompanied by David Benck of Hibbett Sports and Birmingham City Council president Johnathan Austin, made the final pitch in competition with Lima, Peru and Ufa, Russia in Lausanne. Their bid was supported by the City of Birmingham, the State of Alabama and the United States Olympic Committee. IWGA president José Perurena announced Birmingham as the selection on January 22, 2015. This will be the first World Games held in the United States since the inaugural games hosted in Santa Clara, California.

Local organizers project an overall budget of $75 million to host the event, which will be drawn from public and private sponsors. The Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau expects the event to provide an overall economic impact to the region of between $224.4 and $288.6 million.

Sports and potential venues

• Air sports: Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Oak Mountain State Park, Shelby County Airport
• Archery: Barber Motorsports Park, Oak Mountain State Park, Railroad Park
• Billiard sports: BJCC Exhibit Halls, Boutwell Auditorium,
• Boules sports: Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham-Southern College Stadium, Railroad Park, Samford University soccer and track stadium
• Bowling: Spare Time Entertainment (Trussville)
• Canoe: Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Oak Mountain State Park, UAB Campus Recreation Center, Downtown YMCA, Shades Valley YMCA
• Climbing: Barber Motorsports Park, BSC Stadium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Oak Mountain State Park, Railroad Park, Samford soccer field, UAB Campus Recreation Center, Downtown YMCA
• Dance sports: Birmingham-Southern College Arena, Legacy Arena, Boutwell Auditorium, Samford University Arena, Bartow Arena
• Fistball: Birmingham-Southern College softball field, Regions Field, Rickwood Field, Samford University softball field, Samford soccer field, UAB softball field
• Floorball: BSC Arena, Birmingham CrossPlex, Legacy Arena, Boutwell Auditorium, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Flying disc: BSC Stadium, Legion Field, Samford soccer field, Seibels Stadium
• Gymnastics: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Handball: Barber Motorsports Park, BSC softball field, Regions Field, Rickwood Field, Samford softball field, Oak Mountain State Park, UAB softball field
• Ju-jitsu: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, BJCC Exhibit Halls, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Karate: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, BJCC Exhibit Halls, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Korfball: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Lacrosse: BSC Stadium, Legion Field, Siebels Stadium
• Life saving: Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Oak Mountain State Park, UAB Campus Recreation Center, Downtown YMCA, Shades Valley YMCA
• Muaythai: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, BJCC Exhibit Halls, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Netball: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Birmingham CrossPlex, Bartow Arena
• Orienteering: Barber Motorsports Park, Oak Mountain State Park
• Powerlifting: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, BJCC Exhibit Halls, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Racquetball: UAB Campus Recreation Center, , Downtown YMCA, Shades Valley YMCA
• Roller sports (indoor): BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Roller sports (outdoor): Barber Motorsports Park, BSC Stadium, Oak Mountain State Park, Samford soccer field
• Softball: BSC softball field, Samford softball field, Regions Field, Rickwood Field, UAB softball field
• Squash: Downtown YMCA
• Sumo: BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, BJCC Exhibit Halls, Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Tug of War (men): Barber Motorsports Park, BSC Stadium, Oak Mountain State Park, Railroad Park, Regions Field, Rickwood Field, Samford softball field, Samford soccer field, UAB softball field
• Tug of War (women): BSC Arena, Legacy Arena, BJCC Exhibit Halls, Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, Samford Arena, Bartow Arena
• Underwater sports: Birmingham CrossPlex, Lakeshore Foundation, UAB Campus Recreation Center, Downtown YMCA, Shades Valley YMCA
• Water skiing: Oak Mountain State Park

References

• Tomberlin, Michael (June 8, 2014) "Birmingham making bid to host 2021 World Games with projected $256.5 million economic impact" The Birmingham News
• Tomberlin, Michael (June 8, 2014) "Where would the World Games take place in Birmingham in 2021?" The Birmingham News
• Natta, Andre (June 9, 2014) "Still dreaming big dreams for Birmingham in 2021" The Terminal
• Bryant, Joseph D. (January 22, 2014) "Birmingham wins! City chosen as site for 2021 World Games." The Birmingham News

External links

• International World Games Association website