Nassau, July 22, 2026 — The CARIFTA Games will continue for at least two more years. NACAC Athletics confirmed today that Guyana will host the 2027 edition, with Barbados taking over in 2028. Both countries agreed to step in after CARICOM Heads of Government intervened on behalf of the region’s premier junior athletics meet.
The move follows a scramble earlier this month. Two member federations that had originally planned to host the 2027 Games pulled out just days before the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, held July 5–8. With no host in place, NACAC Athletics made a direct appeal to regional leaders, stressing both the urgency of the situation and the wider role sport plays in developing young people across the Caribbean.
The appeal worked. Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley both agreed to host, giving the Games a secured path through 2028.
“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,” said Mike Sands, President of NACAC Athletics. “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.”
Grenada Delivers Record Viewership in 2026
The 2026 Games, hosted by Grenada, wrapped up as the most-watched CARIFTA Games on record. Broadcasts and livestreams reached audiences throughout the Caribbean, the United States, and Europe. Grenada organized the meet on short notice, marking the second time in three years the country has stepped in to host.
NACAC Athletics has since taken control of the broadcast rights for its events, a shift aimed at expanding audience reach and creating new revenue streams for the sport going forward.
Sands acknowledged the strain repeated hosting duties place on smaller nations. “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,” he said. “Sustaining the CARIFTA Games will take continued partnership between our governments and sporting bodies.”
Championship Records Fall in Tlaxcala
NACAC Athletics also staged its U18/U23 Championships in Tlaxcala, Mexico, from July 10–12. The meet drew 512 athletes from 26 member federations, with athletes from 20 of those federations reaching the podium. Twenty championship records were broken over the three days of competition.
This year’s edition expanded the U23 age range, giving U20 athletes an extra chance to qualify for next month’s World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon. NACAC Athletics thanked the Governor of Tlaxcala, the Mexican member federation, and the local organizing committee for running the event.
Regional Competition Continues to Expand
Beyond CARIFTA, competition across NACAC’s member federations keeps growing. Nicaragua hosted the CADICA U18/U20 Championships in May, drawing about 260 athletes, followed by the CADICA Senior Championships in June with roughly 150 competitors.
NACAC Athletics points to demographics as a reason to keep investing in youth sport. About 26 percent of the Caribbean’s 44.8 million residents are under 25, a trend echoed across Central America, where the combined regional population sits at 231.8 million.
Sands closed with a nod to Nelson Mandela: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”
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