Competitors from Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino are set to compete in 10 sports as Malta’s capital celebrates the 30th and 20th anniversaries, respectively, of having previously held the Games.

The GSSE is only open to European countries with a population below one million and with a recognised National Olympic Committee, aiming to better match countries in terms of demographics and available resources.

Since it was launched in San Marino in 1985, the GSSE has taken place biannually with only 2021 in Andorra missed due to the pandemic.

Each country takes turns hosting the Games with Malta having previously hosted the competition in 1993 and 2003.  

The Games feature eight core sports, including two team activities.

Each hosting country may add a further two, consisting of either one Olympic and one non-Olympic sport or two of the former.

This year, the sports programme will feature athletics, table tennis, sailing, basketball, rugby sevens, judo, shooting, squash, swimming and tennis, with competition due to conclude on June 4. 

In the previous 18 editions of the GSSE, Malta has won 419 medals, including 73 gold, to rank fifth on the all-time list.

"These Games helped our country to invest more in sports infrastructure as, when the GSSE started, there were very few sporting venues in Malta," former Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) secretary general Bertie Muscat told the Times of Malta.

The most successful country in the GSSE’s history is Iceland, with a total of 1,259 medals.

With 498 of those gold, Iceland will be confident of cracking the 500 mark in Malta.

The event will start with the Opening Ceremony for the GSSE at the Floriana Granaries, pits originally built by the Knights of Saint John that have been dug into the ground and covered by circular stone slabs and which were used for storage in the event of raids and sieges.

Now officially named Pjazza San Publiju, it is one of the largest public places in Malta used for large events and mass gatherings and festivals.

Malta’s national television stations Public Broadcasting Services will be covering the event live and several other countries competing in the GSSE are expected to show it.

Malta’s delegation of 200 athletes will be led by flagbearers tennis player Elaine Genovese and Matthew Galea Soler, of athletics.

The country's Minister for Education and Sport Clifton Grima is predicting a high-quality event.

"The response from my international colleagues - Ministers responsible for Sport from the small states of Europe, has been excellent," he said.

"They are looking forward to being amongst us, and the enthusiasm is significant especially since during the pandemic this event did not take place.

"Our country will meet all expectations, because the work that has been done and which is currently at its culmination will give the expected results."

To find out more about the GSSE read Philip Barker's Big Read here.