New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Games 2027 in Malta will be held on October 29, followed by a six-day sporting schedule from October 30 to November 4.

Malta is set to welcome around 1,200 athletes aged between 14 and 18, representing 74 nations and territories from across the Commonwealth.

The Games programme will feature eight disciplines: swimming and para swimming, athletics and para athletics, netball, sailing, squash, triathlon, water polo, and weightlifting. Competitions will be staged across seven venues located on the islands of Malta and Gozo.

Events will be spread across facilities, including Cottonera Indoor Pool, Tal-Qroqq National Pool, Marsa Athletics Stadium, Marsa Sports Centre, Mellieha Bay, Gozo Indoor Sports Pavilion, Marsalforn Bay.

Speaking about the Commonwealth Youth Games, Commonwealth Sport Chief Executive Katie Sadleir said, “Malta 2027 promises an electrifying and competitive atmosphere, showcasing the home of Maltese sport. World-class facilities will provide our young athletes with a truly transformative experience, helping to inspire and develop the stars of tomorrow. We are looking forward to what will be a fantastic Games.”

Malta’s Minister for Sport, Clifton Grima, said, “From the development and modernisation of facilities to the inauguration of new, world-class venues, we are creating environments where athletes can train, compete, and excel. The Malta 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games will fully benefit from this vision, utilising state-of-the-art infrastructure that will serve not only the Games but also provide enduring value to local communities and future generations.”

Malta 2027 is set to mark a significant milestone by hosting the largest para sport programme in the history of the Commonwealth Youth Games, building on the inclusion of para athletics at the previous edition in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023.

The upcoming Games will also see sailing and water polo making their debut in the youth event.

First held in Edinburgh in 2000, the Commonwealth Youth Games were designed to provide a global platform for young athletes and act as a stepping stone to elite senior competition.

Since its inception, the event has seen participation from over 6,000 athletes. The most recent edition in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023 was the largest to date.

–IANS

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