Following a record-breaking performance at Trinbago 2023, Team Scotland welcome the news that the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games will be hosted by Malta.

The decision reflects Commonwealth Sport’s commitment to taking the Youth Games to new countries and especially small and island nations.

The eighth edition of the competition, which began in Scotland in 2000, will take place in late 2027 across the islands of Malta and Gozo. The Youth Games are a fantastic development opportunity, with athletes such as Eilish McColgan, Jen McIntosh, Josh Taylor, Shannon Archer and Hannah Miley just some of those who have participated before going on to make their mark in the Commonwealth Games and on the world stage.

Malta 2027 will welcome approximately 1,150 athletes aged 14–18 from Commonwealth Sport’s 74 nations and territories. The Sport Programme will feature eight sports, with Sailing and Water Polo making their debut at a Commonwealth Youth Games, alongside Athletics and Para Athletics, Netball, Squash, Swimming and Para Swimming, Triathlon, and Weightlifting.

The distinctive programme was designed to maximise local and Commonwealth youth appeal and utilise existing state-of-the-art venues in four clusters across the two islands.

Malta 2027 will have the largest Para sport programme at a Commonwealth Youth Games, with Para Swimming being added to the programme for the first time, building on the landmark inclusion of Para Athletics at the last Youth Games.

The first ever Commonwealth Youth Games was held in Edinburgh in 2000 with the event subsequently going to Australia, India, Isle of Man, Samoa, Bahamas and, most recently, Trinidad & Tobago in 2023.