- Eyes of the world on the West Midlands during epic month of top-class tournaments, including badminton, kabaddi and esports
- Sporting events anticipated to deliver £5.8 million impact for the region’s economy, with huge global television audiences expected
The West Midlands is preparing for a significant economic boost and increased global profile as it plays host to a massive month of sporting action, with three major international tournaments set to draw visitors to the region.
Throughout March, the West Midlands will be the backdrop as the world’s best badminton, kabaddi and esports players thrill more than 50,000 fans in arenas across the region, plus an estimated television audience reach of hundreds of millions of people.
The YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships (11-16 March, Utilita Arena, Birmingham); The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025 (17-23 March, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall); and ‘Game On Birmingham’ (26-30 March, Solihull), including the British Esports Cup (26 March), West Midlands Unwrapped (28 March) and Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) 2025 Major Birmingham (29-30 March, bp pulse LIVE, Solihull), are anticipated to bring £5.8 million in economic impact for the West Midlands.
Joel Lavery, Strategic Lead for Major Sporting Events, West Midlands Growth Company, said:
“The Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund has provided us with a platform to stage major events, which align with our values and celebrate and showcase the West Midlands.
“From hosting global sport conferences like SportAccord to innovative formats such as FISE Xperience, these prestigious events have given us the opportunity to show domestic and international audiences that this region loves its sport and has the passion, infrastructure and track record to create unforgettable sporting memories.
“March promises to be a momentous month for sport in the West Midlands, with three major events in quick succession. Global audiences will visit or tune in to see a region, which is not only at the heart of sport in the UK, but committed to attracting youthful, inclusive and diverse sporting events. These tournaments will help to raise the region’s profile and deliver real economic and social benefits for the West Midlands.”
The YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious tournaments, with some of the globe’s most impressive athletes competing across five different disciplines for the chance to be crowned champion. The event is an international festival of badminton – the “Wimbledon of the shuttlecock world” – with players from nations including China, India, Japan and Malaysia descending on Birmingham, which has hosted the tournament since 1994.
Cllr John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:
“Birmingham is a city of passionate and knowledgeable sports fans and it’s a major coup for us to once again host the YONEX All England Open – the world’s biggest and best badminton tournament.
“Throw in The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup and ‘Game On Birmingham’ and March promises to be another exciting sporting month here in Birmingham and across the West Midlands.”
The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will see 16 men’s and eight women’s teams from countries including India, China, USA and England compete in the West Midlands, the first time the competition has been hosted outside Asia. Kabaddi is the fastest growing sport in South Asia, with this year’s tournament taking place in Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Coventry and Walsall.
Cllr Bhupinder Gakhal, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Resident Services, said:
“We are delighted to be hosting the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup in Wolverhampton and the West Midlands.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming men’s and women’s teams from around the globe and to hosting the finals, semi-finals and group stages in our city.
“Events of this scale bring direct and indirect economic benefit, and it once again shows what a great sporting city Wolverhampton is. The tournament will put the region firmly on the map as a destination of choice.”
RLCS 2025 Major Birmingham welcomes some of the world’s best Rocket League players to Solihull to compete in a fast-paced, action-packed esports tournament, which combines the thrill of football with rocket-powered cars. In front of up to 10,000 fans packing bp pulse LIVE across the weekend, with more than three million hours’ worth of viewing online, 16 teams from around the world will compete for the first trophy of the RCLS 2025 season. The British Esports Cup 2025 will additionally give players as young as 13 the chance to win a £5,000 prize alongside some of the UK’s best Rocket League esports talent, and West Midlands Unwrapped will be an opportunity for business leaders to network and identify future growth opportunities in esports.
Cllr Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council and Lead Member for Business and the Economy, commented:
“Solihull is proud to have a pivotal role in this marvellous month of sport, hosting Game on Birmingham and the RLCS Major Birmingham, in partnership with the British Esports Federation and BLAST.
“Thousands of fans from across the world are expected to attend these significant sporting events, giving us a great opportunity to really show what the region has to offer.
“The economic benefit these events will bring to the local hospitality and visitor economy is unrivalled, putting us on the world stage.”
Having already hosted the Super League Basketball Trophy Finals in January and UK Athletics Indoor Championships in February, March will see the West Midlands host more Champions League football as Aston Villa face Club Brugge in the second leg of the tournament’s round of 16 (12 March). The region’s new netball team – Birmingham Panthers – will also play their highly-anticipated first Netball Super League match at bp pulse LIVE (21 March).
The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup and RLCS 2025 Major Birmingham are two of the nine cultural and sporting events to have shared £3 million of Commonwealth Games legacy funding. For more information about the region’s sporting offer, visit www.meetbirmingham.com/sportingevents.
