CARIFTA Games secured for 2027 and 2028 following CARICOM intervention

by Michael Bascombe

NASSAU, Bahamas, July 23, 2026 – The immediate future of the CARIFTA Games has been secured, with Guyana confirmed as host in 2027 and Barbados taking responsibility for the region’s premier junior track and field championships in 2028, according to the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC).

NACAC Athletics said Thursday that the commitments followed the swift intervention and support of the CARICOM Heads of Government after the two member federations that had expressed an interest in hosting the 2027 Games withdrew.

Their withdrawal came just days before the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, held in Saint Lucia from July 5–8.

NACAC subsequently appealed directly to the CARICOM leaders, highlighting the urgent need to secure a host and the broader value of sport to the region’s young people.

“On behalf of the NACAC Athletics Council, officials, and athletes of the NACAC Athletics family, I wish to thank the CARICOM Heads for their swift and positive response in support of the CARIFTA Games,” NACAC Athletics President Mike Sands said during a media briefing.

“I especially thank President Ali of Guyana and Prime Minister Mottley of Barbados for agreeing to host CARIFTA 2027 and 2028. This secures the immediate future of what is arguably the world’s premier junior athletics event.”

The announcement ends several months of uncertainty surrounding the Games after prospective hosts failed to secure the required government guarantees.

Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago had expressed an interest in hosting the 2027 championships. However, neither federation had obtained the necessary government guarantee when Sands addressed the matter during an appearance on the TalkSports programme on May 30.

NACAC also praised Grenada for hosting the 2026 Games at short notice, marking the second time in three years that the country had staged the championships.

According to the regional governing body, the 2026 Games recorded the widest television and livestream viewership in CARIFTA history, reaching audiences across the Caribbean, the United States, and Europe.

NACAC has since taken control of the broadcast rights to its events, a move intended to reach wider audiences and generate new revenue for regional athletics.

“Grenada’s willingness to host twice in three years speaks to its commitment to youth development, but it also reminds us of the real demands hosting places on our smaller island states,” Sands said.

“Sustaining the CARIFTA Games will take continued partnership between our governments and sporting bodies.”

NACAC is expected to engage the relevant authorities in Guyana and Barbados to support early planning for both editions while continuing discussions with CARICOM leaders on a more sustainable framework for athletics and major youth sporting events in the Caribbean.