The wait and anticipation are over as the 2022 World Games begin July 7 in Birmingham, Alabama. The World Games is a 10-day event running until Sunday, July 17, and involves over 30 different sports.  

Sports are broken up into six categories — artistic sports, ball sports, martial arts, precision sports, strength sports, and trend sports. 

Artistic Sports 

Artistic Sports include DanceSport, gymnastics, and roller sports.  

DanceSport: Friday, July 8, through Sunday, July 10 

Gymnastics: Friday, July 8 through Sunday, July 17 

Roller Sports: Friday, July 8 through Sunday, July 17 

Ball Sports 

There are 11 sports under the ball sports category —  canoe polo, fistball, flag football, floorball, handball, korfball, lacrosse, racquetball, softball, squash, and wheelchair rugby. 

Former four-time All-American Haylie McCleney and current standout Montana Fouts will dawn the USA uniform and represent the University of Alabama on the softball diamond. McCleney, Fouts and the rest of the USA softball team will compete from Saturday, July 9 through Wednesday, July 13. 

Canoe polo: Monday, July 11, through Sunday, July 17 

Fistball: Sunday, July 10, through Thursday, July 14 

Flag football: Sunday, July 10, through Thursday, July 14 

Floorball: Friday, July 8, through Tuesday, July 12 

Lacrosse: Friday, July 8, through Tuesday, July 1 

Handball: Monday, July 11 through Friday, July 15 

Korfball: Wednesday, July 13, through Sunday, July 17 

Racquetball: Sunday, July 10 through Wednesday, July 13 

Softball: Saturday, July 9 through Wednesday, July 13 

Squashball: Thursday, July 14 through Sunday, July 17  

Wheelchair rugby: Thursday, July 14 through Sunday, July 17 

Martial Arts 

Ju-Jitsu, karate, kickboxing, muaythai, sumo and wushu are the six sports that represent the martial arts category. 

Ju-Jitsu: Friday, July 15 through Saturday, July 16 

Karate: Friday, July 8, through Saturday, July 9 

Kickboxing: Wednesday, July 13, through Thursday, July 14 

Muay Thai: Friday, July 15, through Sunday, July 17 

Sumo: Saturday, July 9, through Sunday, July 10 

Wushu: Tuesday, July 12, through Wednesday, July 13

Precision Sports 

The precision sports category is made up of archery, billiards, boules sports and bowling.  

Archery: Friday, July 8, through Friday, July 15 

Billiards: Wednesday, July 13, through Sunday, July 17 

Boules sports: Tuesday, July 12, through Wednesday, July 13 

Bowling: Friday, July 8, through Monday, July 11 

Strength Sports 

Powerlifting and tug of war are the only sports under the power lifting category.  

Powerlifting: Friday, July 8, through Sunday, July 10 

Tug of war: Thursday, July 14, through Saturday, July 16 

Trend Sports 

Trend sports is the second biggest category, behind ball sports, with 10 sports. This category consists of air sports, canoe, duathlon, finswimming, flying disc, lifesaving, orienteering, roller sports, sports climbing, waterskiing and wake boarding.  

Recent Alabama graduate Anna Gay will represent Team USA in Waterski. Gay is a current two-time world record holder and will look to set the world record for a third time during the World Games.  

Air Sports: Saturday, July 9, through Monday, July 11 

Canoe: Monday, July 11, through Sunday, July 17 

Duathlon: Saturday, July 16, through Sunday, July 17 

Finswimming: Friday, July 8, through Saturday, July 9 

Flying Disc: Tuesday, July 12, through Saturday, July 16 

Lifesaving: Dates not shown on the World Games website 

Orienteering: Friday, July 15, through Sunday, July 17 

Roller Sports: Friday, July 8, through Sunday, July 17 

Sports Climbing: Thursday, July 14, through Saturday, July 16 

Waterski and Wake Board: Thursday, July 14, through Saturday, July 16 

Tickets to the World Games can be purchased on its website.