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