Antigua and Barbuda is preparing to overhaul its national sports development system with a new Center of Excellence and the conversion of several rural playing fields into training hubs.

The initiative was outlined Friday by Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant during the post-Cabinet media briefing.

Merchant said the Cabinet has unanimously endorsed a proposal from the Minister of Sports, Daryl Matthew, to establish a national youth academy that will serve as the country’s premier centre for talent identification, development, and high-performance training.

The academy will provide specialized coaching, sports science support, and structured pathways for athletes demonstrating elite potential.

According to the briefing, the new framework aims to decentralize sports development, which has long been concentrated in St. John’s at the YASCO facility.

Cabinet approved the designation and enhancement of several venues outside the capital to widen access to programmes.

These include Pier’s Playing Field, identified as a major training site; the Jennings Playing Field, to function as a community-level development centre; and the All Saints Playing Field, which will be integrated into the national grid for early-stage athlete development.

Merchant said the decentralization plan is designed to ensure young athletes across the island can access training without having to rely on a single facility in the capital, noting that this will allow for greater participation and more effective national talent scouting.

The minister is expected to provide additional details when he contributes to the upcoming budget debate.

The sports academy initiative aligns with a broader push by the government to strengthen youth development, expand community access to sporting infrastructure, and raise the long-term performance of national teams.