The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Games 2027 will take place in Malta on 29 October, followed by a six-day sporting event from 30 October to 4 November. Around 1,200 athletes aged 14 to 18 will represent 74 countries and territories of the Commonwealth at the Youth Games.
The Commonwealth Youth Games 2027 will feature 8 sports. These include swimming and para swimming, athletics and para athletics, netball, sailing, squash, triathlon, water polo and weightlifting. These competitions will be held at 7 venues located on the islands of Malta and Gozo. These venues include Cottonera Indoor Pool, Tal-Krok National Pool, Mars Athletics Stadium, Mars Sports Centre, Mellieha Bay, Gozo Indoor Sports Pavilion and Marsalforn Bay.
Malta is set to set a significant milestone by hosting the largest ever Para Games event in the history of the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games. This achievement builds on the success of the inclusion of Para athletics in the previous edition held in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023.
Among the upcoming sports, sailing and water polo will also be included in this youth competition for the first time. Held in Edinburgh for the first time in 2000, the Commonwealth Youth Games was created with the aim of providing a global platform for young athletes and acting as a stepping stone to major senior level competitions.
Speaking about the Commonwealth Youth Games, Katie Sadlier, Chief Executive of Commonwealth Sport, said, “Malta 2027 promises an exciting and competitive environment that will showcase the heart of Maltese sport. The world-class facilities will provide our young athletes with a truly transformative experience, helping to inspire and develop the stars of tomorrow. We look forward to these fantastic Games.”
Clifton Grima, Malta’s Sports Minister, said: “From the development and modernization of facilities to the opening of new, world-class venues, we are creating an environment where athletes can train, compete and perform at their best. The Malta 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games will take full advantage of this vision, using state-of-the-art infrastructure that will provide long-term value not only to the Games, but to local communities and future generations.”