Approved application: Commonwealth Games 2022

Ofcom has given its consent to a request from the BBC to broadcast exclusive live coverage of the 2022 Commonwealth Games (“the Games”).

Coverage of the Games, which will take place from 28 July to 8 August 2022, will be broadcast on one or more of the BBC’s channels, including BBC One, Two, Three and Four. In addition, Premier Media Broadcasting has rights to broadcast television highlights on its Premier Sports channel. The BBC also have the national radio rights and intend to broadcast on Radio 5 Live.

The Commonwealth Games are a Group B Listed Event for the purposes of the Broadcasting Act 1996. Ofcom's consent is needed to broadcast exclusive live television coverage of the Games (see section 101 of the Broadcasting Act 1996). If a second broadcaster, in this case Premier Media Broadcasting, has adequate secondary coverage of a Group B listed event then Ofcom can issue automatic consent to broadcast without consultation.

Having considered the information supplied by BBC, and supplementary information provided by Premier Media Broadcasting, Ofcom has decided to grant automatic consent to the BBC's request. Where certain minimum requirements are met, Ofcom can grant consent automatically for Group B events. Details of these minimum requirements are set out in the Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events (PDF, 71.2 KB) (see paragraphs 1.18 to 1.21).