2023 Commonwealth Youth Games

• Belfast, Northern Ireland

With the backing of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Commonwealth Games Council for Northern Ireland,[4] Belfast submitted an official bid for the games. On 29 November 2015, it was confirmed that Northern Ireland was the only official, and thus the preferred, bid.[5] They were named the official hosts in January 2016, with the Games originally scheduled for 27 July to 1 August 2021.[6][2] Robert McVeigh, the Chair of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council, said he was "delighted" that the bid was successful.[7]

In June 2018, Belfast was stripped of the Games due to uncertainty surrounding funding for the event during the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive.[8][9][10] This was as £3 million of grants had not been signed off by the Executive before it collapsed in January 2017, meaning the Games had a significant funding gap.[11]

• Gaborone, Botswana

The Botswana National Olympic Committee stated it was preparing a bid for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games.

• Saint Helier, Jersey

Jersey was considering a bid in early 2015 but pulled out of the bidding process in June 2015.[12][13] The withdrawal came as Botswana and Northern Ireland placed bids - Paul du Feu, Jersey's Commonwealth Games Association leader commented that "when you're up against opposition with a bigger population and totally different infrastructure you have to be realistic".[14]

Following the stripping of the games from Belfast, a new selection process has been initiated, which lasted for six months.[8] Trinidad and Tobago was announced as new host on 21 June 2019.[15]

• Trinidad and Tobago[16][17][18]

• Gibraltar City, Gibraltar[19][18]

Following the postponement, Trinidad and Tobago were elected host of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Birmingham, England at the Commonwealth Games Federation general assembly.

• Trinidad and Tobago[20]

On March 16, 2023, the Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe, revealed the games' mascot, Cocoyea, a Leatherback sea turtle. The mascot was designed by Djibril Annisette, who won a design competition that was run for children.[24][25]

The opening ceremony took place on 4 August 2023 in Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad. It was themed as a Trinidad and Tobago carnival.

The traditional parade of nations was led by the Bahamas (as the host of the previous games), followed by the rest of the nations from the Americas. Following this, nations entered by region in order from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and lastly the Caribbean. The host nation, Trinidad and Tobago, entered last. Each nation was preceded by a placard bearer carrying a circular board containing the respective nation's flag.

The games were opened by President Christine Kangaloo and were attended by Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin, Prime Minister Keith Rowley, and his wife. A smaller ceremony was held in Tobago the same day.[27][28]

The closing ceremony took place on 11 August 2023 in Pigeon Point, Tobago. In addition to the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony was also carnival themed.[29]