Organisers have confirmed that Cardiff will host the National Eisteddfod in 2028, ending a ten-year absence of the festival from the Welsh capital. The announcement was made on Saturday at the Maes of the Garreg Las Eisteddfod as this year's event drew to a close, with the 2028 festival set to run from 5 to 12 August.
Unlike the 2018 Cardiff Eisteddfod, which was held on an open site with free entry, the 2028 edition will follow a more traditional format with a ticketed Maes, according to Eisteddfod Chief Executive Betsan Moses.
Mae'n wych gwybod bod cymaint o bobl ar draws y dalgylch yn barod i chwarae eu rhan, ac i'n helpu i greu wythnos arbennig a phrosiect cofiadwy pan fydd yr Eisteddfod yn dychwelyd i'r ardal.
Moses said organisers were looking forward to beginning preparatory work in the Cardiff area and building anticipation over the coming two years. She added that she wanted to bring together people of different backgrounds, interests and areas of expertise to join the organising team.
Drwy gyfuno profiad ac egni newydd, gallwn weithio gyda'n gilydd i greu prosiect a gŵyl fydd yn denu cystadleuwyr ac ymwelwyr i'r ardal yn eu miloedd. Dyma'r tro cyntaf i'r Eisteddfod ddychwelyd i'r brifddinas ers 2018 – rydyn ni'n edrych ymlaen at gyfnod o weithio gyda chymunedau lleol – mae croeso i unrhyw un sydd â diddordeb mewn bod yn rhan o'r tîm gofrestru ar-lein neu ddod i'r cyfarfod cyhoeddus yng Nghaerdydd.
Separately, Moses has spoken about the wider challenges facing the festival as an institution, noting that artificial intelligence is developing rapidly and that organisers must adapt accordingly.
Mae AI yn esblygu ond mae'n rhaid i ni fel corff esblygu hefyd.
What has the council said about hosting the festival?
Cardiff Council leader Chris Weaver said the city has a proud track record of staging major events and that residents and visitors from across Wales and beyond can expect a memorable and inspiring Eisteddfod. He described the National Eisteddfod as the largest and most important celebration of the Welsh language and Welsh culture in the national calendar, and said he was delighted it would return to the capital in 2028 for the first time in a decade.
Mae gan Gaerdydd hanes balch o gynnal digwyddiadau mawr, ac edrychwn ymlaen at groesawu ymwelwyr o bob cwr o Gymru a thu hwnt ar gyfer yr hyn sy'n siŵr o fod yn Eisteddfod gofiadwy ac ysbrydoledig.
According to a report by a national broadcaster, Cardiff Council has confirmed the festival's return for 2028 but has not yet announced the precise location within the city where the Maes will be sited.
How does this fit with other recent Eisteddfodau?
This year's festival, held at Garreg Las, took place in Pembrokeshire, a location Cymru Fyw's coverage notes lies just under four miles from the site of the very first Eisteddfod, held at Cardigan Castle in 1176, according to BBC Cymru Fyw. Listings from the festival's own organisers place the 2026 event in Pembrokeshire as well, running for a week at the start of August. Traditionally the National Eisteddfod alternates between sites in north and south Wales each year, a pattern reflected in the sequence of upcoming hosts.
Looking ahead to next year's festival, preparations are already under way for the 2027 National Eisteddfod, which will be held in the Maldwyn Meirionnydd area near Machynlleth, marking the first time Powys has hosted the event since 2015. As local communities prepare for the 2027 festival, organisers and residents have spoken of their excitement at bringing the Eisteddfod back to the region. The official launch for that festival previously took place in Llanidloes, where the Gŵyl Gyhoeddi ceremony marked the formal start of preparations, complete with a procession and a Gorsedd Cymru ceremony.
What happens next?
Preparatory work for the 2028 Cardiff festival and its associated community project will formally begin on the evening of Wednesday 9 September, at a public meeting at Chapter Arts Centre on Market Road in Cardiff, starting at 18:30. The meeting is intended to give local people the chance to show their support and volunteer to become involved in the project.
Those interested in taking part are being encouraged to register online or attend the Cardiff meeting in person. Separately, according to the Urdd, a further public meeting for volunteers and supporters connected to the wider 2028 Eisteddfod programme is scheduled for Wednesday 24 September at Ysgol Brynrefail in Llanrug.
Key Facts
- Cardiff will host the National Eisteddfod from 5 to 12 August 2028, its first time as host city since 2018.
- Unlike 2018's free, open-access format, the 2028 Maes will be ticketed and more traditional in style.
- A public meeting to launch community preparations will be held on 9 September at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, at 18:30.
- The 2027 National Eisteddfod will be held in the Maldwyn Meirionnydd area of Powys, the region's first time hosting since 2015.
- This year's festival at Garreg Las, Pembrokeshire, sits close to the site of the first Eisteddfod at Cardigan Castle in 1176.
