Pressure is rising for Birmingham to make a bid to host the Commonwealth Games.

The likes of sporting stars Mark Lewis-Francis and Katherine Merry, along with a clutch of MPs and then Prime Minister David Cameron have called on the city to be ambitious and put in a bid for the 2026 Games.

But what would it look like?

The Birmingham Mail has created a video to show how a games focused on the city but being shared across the whole West Midlands would be possible with relatively little construction.

The Mail has led calls for the city to bid to host the 2026 games – which would represent the largest sporting event ever held here – with the likes of Liverpool and Cardiff thought to be considering it.

Birmingham is at a huge advantage with Alexander Stadium already hosting Diamond League athletics and venues like the Barclaycard Arena and NEC capable venues for a host of sporting pursuits.

The video flyover created above is an example of how the event could be staged.

It would require only two arenas to be built – both in the Black Country, with a 50m pool in Wolverhampton and a cycling velodrome in Dudley.

Many of the events have multiple venues where they could be staged – this is just an example to show how the Commonwealth Games could touch the entire region – from Coventry and Solihull to the south up to Wolverhampton and Lichfield further north.

  • Aquatics (swimming and diving) - Build 50m pool in Wolverhampton

  • Athletics - Alexander Stadium

  • Badminton - Barclaycard Arena

  • Basketball - NEC

  • Bowls - Edgbaston

  • Boxing - Barclaycard Arena

  • Cycling - Build velodrome in Dudley

  • Gymnastics - Barclaycard Arena

  • Hockey - Chase Park

  • Netball - NEC

  • Rugby Sevens - Ricoh Arena

  • Shooting - Whittington Barracks, Lichfield

  • Squash - Barclaycard Arena

  • Table Tennis - Edgbaston exhibition hall

  • Triathlon - Sutton Park

  • Weightlifting - NEC

  • Wrestling - Barclaycard Arena