2023 GAA World Games: Derry's Owenbeg to be host venue to tournament next July

Derry GAA's centre of excellence will welcome around 2,000 GAA players from throughout the world when the competition takes place next July

Derry's Owenbeg will be the host venue for the bulk of next year's GAA World Games which sees gaelic players from overseas travelling to Ireland to take part in the competition.

Matches will take at the Derry venue near Dungiven from 24-27 July before finals day at Croke Park on 28 July.

Around 2,000 players are expected to travel to Ireland for the competition.

GAA president Larry McCarthy says he is looking forward to "what will be a fantastic event in Derry".

"I am delighted to see the return of the GAA World Games confirmed for the 2023 calendar," added the GAA president.

"These games play an important role in the ongoing growth and development of gaelic games worldwide and are of great significance to the clubs and the communities that make up world GAA and are an acknowledgement and support for their promotion of the GAA.

"I'm sure that confirmation of the host city will sharpen the preparations for GAA clubs in every corner of the globe to be ready to be at their best in 2023."

Competitions in the GAA World Games are provided for native-born Irish players as well as non-native Irish who have taken up the games.

The GAA World Council made the decision on the host city on Friday after submissions were reviewed from Derry, Waterford and Cavan.

GAA World Council chairperson Niall Erskine added that the "ever-impressive playing facilities at Owenbeg, comprising of a 48-acre site, will be a hub of activity come Monday 24 July".

It will be the fourth staging of the competition which began in 2015 but has not been played since 2019 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With 100 football, hurling, camogie and ladies football teams expected to participate, the competition will result in an influx of up to 4,500 people into Derry next summer.