Birmingham 2022 chief executive Ian Reid revealed that they have already sold a million tickets and only 500,000 remain available after they went on sale to the general public yesterday.

The Opening Ceremony at a revamped Alexander Stadium on July 28 has already sold-out, along with six sports – 3x3 basketball, aquatics, judo, mountain biking, track cycling and triathlon.

Gymnastics is also expected to post the “house full” sign in the next few days as Birmingham 2022 appears on track to be the best attended Commonwealth Games in history, surpassing Glasgow 2014, which sold one million tickets, and Gold Coast 2018, where 1.02 million tickets were purchased.

"My cousin phoned me yesterday after he tried to go online to get some tickets for the swimming, but they were sold out," Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Dame Louise Martin revealed here today.

"The way the ticket sales have gone here is unbelievable."

The first batch of tickets were first made available exclusively to West Midlands residents before being put up for sale on a first-come, first-served basis.

Reid told insidethegames that they had sold 5,000 tickets yesterday on the first day of general sale and expected to have reached 85 per cent of capacity by April after the draws for all the team sports, including cricket, hockey, netball and rugby sevens, had been completed.

He remained confident that the event would not be affected by the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. 

Reid urged fans to snap up the remaining tickets for the Closing Ceremony on August 8.

"We are going to make it the party to end all parties," he promised.

Alexander Stadium, which is expected to have a capacity of 30,000 during Birmingham 2022, and the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, currently being constructed in time for the Commonwealth Games, were among venues visited by the CGF Coordination Commission.

"It has been a pleasure to be in Birmingham and the West Midlands this week to see the impressive progress that the Organising Committee and Partnership are continuing to make," Dame Louise, who led the inspection visit, said.

"Clearly a number of circumstances have made organising a major multi-sport event in 2022 quite challenging.

"However, Birmingham 2022 have risen to every obstacle that has been forced upon them.

"As we approach the final eight months to the Opening Ceremony, everyone involved must maintain their focus and commitment as we enter the home straight.

"From everything we have seen and heard from Birmingham 2022, we have no doubt that we will see an amazing Games next summer for the city, the country and the Commonwealth."

Bruce Robertson, head of the CGF Coordination Commission, took part in the inspection from Canada.

"We impressed by the level of detail we have heard from the Birmingham 2022 Partnership across a very busy agenda," he said.

"The Organising Committee has done an excellent job of bringing in key individuals with deep previous Games experience.

"This has led not just to efficiencies in planning and delivery, but perspectives that have been critical to the successful management of the unique realities of the past few years.

"With the London 2012 Olympics and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the UK is blessed with a generation of truly world-leading expertise across all Games functions.

"From a community perspective, I have been particularly pleased to hear of the growing interest and excitement in the Games which is clearly illustrated by the very impressive ticket sales and the number of volunteer applications.

"There are always challenges in the final stages of delivering a major event and Birmingham 2022 will be no different, but we are confident this will be a phenomenal edition of the Games and will showcase the very best of Commonwealth Sport across the region and around the globe."

For more details on tickets, including how to buy them, click here.