| Apart from the well known sports teams that | | | | followers who are resident in Birmingham. |
| play in the city, there are few cities in | | | | |
| Europe that can lay claim to having hosted | | | | The Edgbaston Cricket Ground is home to the |
| such a wide variety of European and | | | | Warwickshire County Cricket Club, one of the |
| International sports championships that | | | | top teams in the country. With historical |
| Birmingham can. From Show Jumping to | | | | associations going back to the 1820s, the |
| Table-Tennis and Motor Racing to Badminton, | | | | first Warwickshire Cricket Club as we would |
| Birmingham has been thehost in recent years. | | | | now recognise it, was established in 1882. |
| | | | The Bears, as they are known locally, are |
| A major reason for so many championship | | | | regular winners of trophies and have had many |
| events being held in Birmingham is the | | | | illustrious players in their team, such as: |
| presence of the National Indoor Arena (The | | | | Eric Hollis, Dennis Amiss and Brian Lara. |
| NIA) in King Edwards Road, behind the | | | | With one of the best grounds in the country |
| International Convention Centre. It is used | | | | Edgbaston has been used as one of the elite |
| to host a wide variety of championship events | | | | venues for international cricket test matches |
| including; Martial Arts, Athletics, | | | | since 1902. About 1 km away from the cricket |
| Trampolining and Davies Cup Tennis to name | | | | ground is the Edgbaston Priory Tennis Club. |
| but a few. The NIA is part of the NEC group, | | | | This is home to the DFS Classic, which is |
| the National Exhibition Centre. The NEC is | | | | played here annually and is one of the few |
| owned by Birmingham City Council, but is | | | | international ranking tennis events in the UK |
| actually located in Solihull to the east of | | | | that is played outside of London. |
| the city. The NEC Arena is now the home of | | | | |
| the Horse of the Year show. | | | | The Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr is the |
| | | | home of the Birchfield Harriers AC. The |
| Birmingham has two football teams playing in | | | | athletic club has been in existence since |
| the Premiership of the English Football | | | | 1879 and now enjoys considerable success; |
| Leagues. The senior of the two clubs is Aston | | | | current team members include athletes of |
| Villa FC, known locally as 'The Villa'. Their | | | | great quality such as Denise Lewis, Kelly |
| ground 'Villa Park' is in the suburb of Aston | | | | Southerton and Glen Smith. Team alumina |
| and was regularly used for FA Cup | | | | include; Ainsley Bennett, Derek Redmond and |
| semi-finals. Formed in 1874 from a cricket | | | | Geoff Capes. Their home stadium, The |
| club in pursuit of "...something to do during | | | | Alexander, is one of the premier athletics |
| the winter months", they are one of the | | | | venues in the country, hosting national and |
| twelve founding members of the Football | | | | international competitions and championships. |
| League in 1888. Villa are one of only three | | | | |
| English clubs to have won the European Cup, | | | | The top basketball club in the city is the |
| in 1982, beating Bayern Munich 1-0. Since | | | | Birmingham Bullets, who play their games at |
| then, apart from winning the League Cup a | | | | Chelmsley Wood. They are one of the clubs |
| couple of times, they have failed to win any | | | | with a franchise to play in the top flight of |
| major trophies but remain one of the | | | | British basketball - The British Basketball |
| countries best known clubs. Many famous | | | | League. There is an ice hockey club, the |
| footballers have played for and managed Aston | | | | Birmingham Eagles, who play in Division One |
| Villa, but the name of Peter Withe is | | | | of the British Universities Ice Hockey |
| probably the most memorable for scoring the | | | | Association. Bournville Hockey Club was |
| winning goal in the European Cup, along with | | | | founded in 1902 making it one of the oldest |
| a prolific 90 goals in total in 232 games. | | | | in the country. The men's first team play in |
| | | | Division One of the English Slazenger League |
| Birmingham City FC, also known as 'The | | | | and the women's first team plays in the |
| Blues', play at St Andrews in Small Heath. | | | | Midlands Conference league. As well as having |
| Formed in 1875, it was in 1945 that they | | | | many excellent municipal golf courses, there |
| became Birmingham City FC, having started out | | | | are nearby two international standard |
| playing under the name of Small Heath | | | | courses. The Belfry, just outside of Sutton |
| Alliance. Despite having never won a major | | | | Coldfield, has hosted the Ryder Cup and the |
| trophy The Blues have a consistently large | | | | British Masters on several occasions. It has |
| and loyal set of fans. Technically just | | | | three courses; The Derby, The PGA National |
| outside the boundaries of the city is West | | | | and the world famous Brabazon. Near |
| Bromwich Albion FC. Despite the fact that | | | | Hampton-in-Arden is the Forest of Arden |
| their ground, The Hawthorns - which is the | | | | course. This is a regular venue on the |
| most elevated in the country at 168 metres | | | | European Golf Tour; it is also used for the |
| above sea level, is actually a few metres | | | | British Masters event as well as the English |
| inside Sandwell, they still have many | | | | Open. |