Malta 2027 announces medal event programme for Commonwealth Youth Games

Malta 2027 has today unveiled the daily competition schedule and medal event programme for the Commonwealth Youth Games, with 116 medal events set to take place over a thrilling six days of competition across Malta and Gozo from 30 October to 4 November 2027.

The Games will feature the largest Para sport programme in Youth Games history, with 24 Para medal events. The Para Athletics programme made its successful debut at the 2023 Games in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2027 Para Swimming will make its debut, with medals contested across eight multi-class sprint events in freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke.

Malta 2027 creates significant new opportunities for Para athletes to compete for multiple medals, highlighted by the introduction of men’s and women’s T45–47 events in Para Athletics. These classifications offer competition opportunities for athletes with upper limb impairments, such as limb deficiency, reduced muscle power, or limited passive range of movement.

The Tal-Qroqq National Pool Complex will host the most extensive swim programme in Youth Games history, with 45 medal events across Para and non Para competition. In a Games’ first, the men’s 800m freestyle and women’s 1500m freestyle will be included.

Sailing and Water Polo 4x4 will make their Commonwealth Youth Games debuts, with four and two medals respectively. Water Polo 4x4 will take centre stage at the brand new Cottonera Indoor Pool with hosts Malta looking to make their mark during the eight team tournament in front of a home crowd.

Meanwhile, the Commonwealth’s best young sailors will battle it out over six days of competition in the waters of the iconic Mellieha Bay in the men’s and women’s Optimist and ILCA 4 Sailing events.

Commonwealth Sport Chief Executive Katie Sadleir said:

“Malta 2027 promises fantastic competition from across the Commonwealth, including sports that have not previously featured at the Youth Games. Working in close partnership with the Malta 2027 team, we are creating new opportunities for young athletes through the introduction of Sailing and Water Polo 4x4. The expansion of the Para programme, including the debut of Para Swimming, underlines our commitment to inclusion. We look forward to delivering an exceptional Games together.”

Commonwealth Games Association Malta President Julian Pace Bonello said:

"Unveiling our medal event programme is a defining moment for Malta 2027. We have built a sport programme that celebrates youth, champions inclusion and showcases the very best of what Malta and Gozo have to offer. With 116 medal events across eight sports - including the debuts of Sailing, Water Polo 4x4 and Para Swimming - we are giving young athletes from all 74 nations and territories an unforgettable stage on which to shine, and setting a new benchmark for the Commonwealth Youth Games."

Destiny Agbo (NGR), the first Para Athletics gold medallist in the Women’s Discus F42-44/F61-64 at the Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games said:

“Competing at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2023 was an incredible experience. It was my first major international competition, and it gave me the confidence to believe in myself. The Games opened new opportunities for me and showed me that I can achieve my goals.”

Malta is expected to host approximately 1,200 athletes, aged 14-18 from across the Commonwealth’s 74 nations and territories.

The sport programme will feature eight sports: Swimming and Para Swimming, Athletics and Para Athletics, Netball, Sailing, Squash, Triathlon, Water Polo 4x4 and Weightlifting. This distinctive programme was designed to maximise local and Commonwealth youth appeal and utilise existing state-of-the-art existing venues.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee will be reaching out to the eight sports involved in the Malta 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games in due course.

Click here to view the competition schedule and medal event programme

About Commonwealth Youth Games

First staged in Edinburgh in 2000, the Commonwealth Youth Games were created to provide unforgettable international competition for young athletes across the Commonwealth and to provide a pathway to support progression to the senior ranks.

Since then, more than 6,000 athletes have competed in the Games. The most recent edition, held in Trinidad and Tobago in August 2023, the first Youth Games to be hosted across two islands and introduce Para Sport.