2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony Highlights: Commonwealth Games began on Thursday, July, 28 in Birmingham. (Reuters/AP Photo)Commonwealth Games 2022 Opening Ceremony Highlights: The opening ceremony of the 22nd Commonwealth Games began on Thursday amid much fanfare and in front of an estimated 30,000 spectators, showcasing the very best of Birmingham and the whole of the UK. As far as India is concerned, its double Olympic medallist badminton ace PV Sindhu and Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh were chosen as the country’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony. Follow CWG 2022 Opening Ceremony highlights below.
The crowd went wild after the games were officially declared open and Duran Duran play us out. Congratulations to all the artists, creatives and performers tonight. Thats a wrap
Absolutely fantastic booking to have Duran Duran close out the Opening Ceremony! Did you know that Duran Duran were formed here at Birmingham City University (BCU) ? Bass guitarist John Taylor formed the band along with Nick Rhodes in 1978 whilst studying at BCU, when it was known as Birmingham Polytechnic!
Umpire Sue Redfern takes the oath on behalf of officials.
A powerful moment as Tom Daley carries the Commonwealth Baton into the arena, supported by flag bearers representing the 35 Commonwealth countries that retain colonial anti-LGBT laws.
Dame Louise Martin raises it and the Commonwealth Games Federation President says: “I am thrilled to see this stadium full of supporters and teams from right across the Commonwealth”
Pakistan cricket team captain Bismah Maroof, who made a comeback at the Cricket World Cup earlier this year after giving birth to her daughter, leading the Pakistan contingent at the opening ceremony
Sri Lanka's athletes were initially told they can't participate due to the economic crisis in the country, until the Sri Lankan cricket board decided to fund the contingent. The country has adopted severe austerity measures. Hence, instead of wearing traditional attire made by designers, as was the case at the Tokyo Olympics, they entered wearing basic tracksuits.
Rwanda, admitted into the Commonwealth recently, despite no colonial ties with the former Empire.
The athletes are assembling in the stadium, in glorious outfits- the atmosphere is incredible.
Suzie Bates is in Birmingham to play cricket for New Zealand. Fourteen years ago, at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, she competed for her country in basketball.
As per CWG tradition, Australia, being the host of the last Games, will enter first during the Parade, followed by the rest of the Oceania region. Then, other countries will enter in alphabetical order from their respective regions. After Oceania, it'll be the turn of nations from Africa, America, Asia, the Caribbean and lastly, Europe. The host nation, England, will enter last.
The raging, giant bull has been stealing the thunder at the ceremony but it's the other, more endearing bull that's been omnipresent. Perry the Bull, the Games mascot, gets its name from two of Birmingham's biggest identities. The bull is named after Perry Barr, the area in North of Birmingham where the Alexander Stadium, the venue of the opening ceremony, is located. And the reason the mascot is a bull is because the city is famous for its Bull Ring market, which has been around for hundreds of years.
The raging, giant bull has been stealing the thunder at the ceremony.
A giant chained bull rumbles into the stadium. The chains used in slavery were made by women, themselves enchained in overworked underpaid jobs. They demanded minimum wages in 1910.
Birmingham flaunts it's industrial revolution inventions: printing press
William Shakespeare gets an honorary mention and there was a giant puppet of him. The broadcasters tell us about the Shakespeare First Folio which is in the new Library of Birmingham – the largest public library in the UK.
45 percent of those that self-identify as deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, or living with a long-term health condition, performing side by side with non-disabled performers of dance troupe Critical Mass.
A tribute was paid to Charlie Chaplin during the ceremony, with the comedian hailed as one of Birmingham's heroes. Chaplin's place of birth has, in fact, has been subject of much debate. While it was held for years that he was born in London, a group of experts claimed in 2015, according to Daily Mirror, that Chaplin was born at a caravan park near Birmingham. His son Michael unveiled a memorial in his father's honour in the same year, which was a tribute to a community of Romany Gypsies in the Midlands, Birmingham Mail noted.
Malala Yousofzai speaks of her experiences of growing up in Birmingham, studying at the library here, making best friends and finding herself in the city.
72 red, white, blue cars got into a Union Jack formation for a drone shot.
Photo: Shivani Naik | Alexander Stadium
After two opening ceremonies in front of empty stands, with fake crowd noise and other sound effects, the CWG opening ceremony with packed stands and spontaneous applause and cheering feels refreshing. The Birmingham CWG is the first multi-discipline event since the start of the pandemic to be held without major Covid-19 restrictions.
A glorious representation of the Birmingham culture and diversity with not just the people but the houses taking the centre stage.
Screengrab: Sony Liv
All reads in Birmingham lead to the Alexander Stadium today. A stunning aerial view of the venue.
Screengrab: Sony Liv
A look at the Indian badminton contingent with the India flagbearer PV Sindhu ahead of the opening ceremony.
Photo: Badminton Association of India
With the official Birmingham Commonwealth Games mascot Perry in the house, Alexander Stadium is filling by the second for the glamorous opening ceremony. Our correspondent, Shivani Naik sending us visuals from the venue.
Indian boxing team before the ceremony.
The excitement is building up inside the arena and the Alexander Stadium is ready to rock. PV SIndhu, Manpreet Singh to be Indian's flagbearers at CWG Opening Ceremony
TV coverage is about to get underway and the opening ceremony will be starting soon. A moment we have all been waiting for. HERE WE GO!
Prince Charles has arrived at the Athletes Village to meet competitors. He will be opening the Games later.
Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley will protest intolerance toward the LGBTQ+ community at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on Thursday. The British diver, who is married to Oscar-winning director Dustin Lance Black, will play a key role in the ceremony as the final bearer in the Queen’s Baton Relay.
The long-established Commonwealth Games will be bringing in something new. The quadrennial event that opens Thursday in Birmingham will be the first multi-sport international meet to host more medal events for women than for men, and is running in tandem with its largest ever para sport program.
More than a billion people are expected to watch the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony on Thursday, organisers say. Also, more than 5,000 athletes representing 72 nations and territories will be in Britain's West Midlands to compete in 19 sports and 280 medal events. Stay tuned for live updates.