The Island Games

You may or may not be familiar with the Island Games; I wasn’t. I stumbled across them while researching another competition of the same name – the second season of the Canadian Premier League which was held in the isolated location of Prince Edward Island under the strict shackles of Covid restrictions.

Once I had gone down the rabbit hole of what I found, I found it hard to escape. The multi-sports event was inaugurated in 1985 and is held biennially. In its crudest form of explanation, it is an Olympics for island nations and territories who may not appear on the world stage or whose athletes may get drowned out by the flags of the heavyweight countries of the world. For instance, while Team GB will be spoken about all over the sports pages, any reader anywhere in the world could be forgiven for assuming it to be purely the “Home Nations” – England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland. But, without getting too ‘British Empire’ about it all, what about the Channel Islands, what about Shetland or the Falklands or Anglesey? 

In 1985, the first ever Island Games was hosted by the Isle of Man. An island of around 80,000 Manx folks welcomed 700 athletes from 14 other islands competing across 7 events – athletics, badminton, cycling, shooting, swimming, volleyball and of course, football (albeit 5-a-side). Unsurprisingly, Isle of Man wiped the floor with the competition, claiming 70 medals – 25 gold, 20 silver & 25 bronze. Their tally was more than 2^nd and 3^rd placed islands combined. Those being Guernsey with 37 and Aland with 15. 

Participation has fluctuated but generally increased over the years with a new record in 2023 of approximately 3000 athletes from 24 islands competing in Guernsey and the number of sports doubling to 14. While all the competitors and their chosen sports are of course worthy of note, we will of course be following the football most closely.

So, let us briefly run through the nations participating in the football competition:

Åland Islands –

These are a small group of islands part of and off the coast of Finland…inhabitants of which speak Swedish. The population is approximately 30,000 and their men’s team achieved a silver medal in 2009 along with two bronze medals in 1989 & 1993. The women’s team have proven more successful by taking three silver medals in 2001, 2005 & 2015 as well as three gold medals in 2007, 2009 & 2011. They are also home to 2016 Veikkausliiga champions IFK Mariehamn.

Bermuda –

One of the many overseas territories of the United Kingdom and home to approximately 63,000 Bermudians, 2013 was a Games to remember for the island as Bermuda hosted the competition and both the men’s and women’s teams won gold. The women also took bronze in 2005 & 2007.

Falkland Islands / Islas Malvinas –

A solitary men’s bronze medal in 2013 for the disputed archipelago of just 3,600 people off the coast of Argentina. No women’s team compete.

Frøya – 

A main island, named unsurprisingly after the Norse goddess Freyja, surrounded by literally thousands of small islands off the west coast of Norway. They’ve never won a thing.

Gozo –

The little brother of Malta makes its debut at the 2023 Games, men’s team only. Inhabitants number approximately 31,000 contributing to Malta’s overall population of about 450,000.

Greenland – 

The largest of the three component countries of the Kingdom of Denmark, home to approximately 56,500 people, took the silver medal in 2013 & 2017. Men’s team only.

Guernsey –

2023 Host Island boast the most successful men’s team at the Games, narrowly edging their larger neighbour Jersey, with two bronze medals in 2009 & 2017, two silver medals in 2005 & 2011, and an impressive three gold medals in 2001, 2003 & 2015. The women’s team will also be competing but have yet to win a medal.

Isle of Man –

The inaugural hosts will be hoping to add to their haul of medals over the years including the previous tournament’s gold medal in 2017 for the men’s team along with their four silver medals from 1993, 1999, 2003 & 2015. The women have claimed two silver medals themselves in 2011 & 2017 as well as a bronze in 2009.

Isle of Wight –

England’s largest island boasts two gold medals in 1995 & 2011 and two bronze medals in 1997 & 1999. The women’s team has only ever got as close as 4^th place.

Jersey –

The Jersey Boys have claimed a grand total of eight medals over the years, the largest collection. These comprise of three gold in 1993, 1997 & 2009 and five bronze in 1991, 1995, 2001, 2003 & 2011. The Jersey Girls (if that’s a thing) have earned a solitary gold medal in 2015 and three bronze in 2001, 2003 & 2017.

Menorca –

The north-easternmost of the Balearic Islands of the Mediterranean Sea have a single bronze medal in 2015; nothing for the women. 

Orkney –

The group of Northern Isles off the coast of Scotland have yet to claim any medals at the Games but they are scheduled to host the next Island Games in 2025 so this could be a good practice run. No women’s team.

Shetland –

Close rivals of Orkney, Shetland do have a gold medal to their name in 2005 for the men when they hosted the Games. Again, no women’s team. 

Saint Helena –

British Overseas Territory, 1,210 miles off the coast of south-western Africa. Making their debut at the Island Games but did enter the Inter-Games football tournament in 2019. They have yet to win a game of football. No women’s team.

Western Isles –

Otherwise known as the Outer Hebrides and headlined by the island of Lewis & Harris, they have claimed two bronze medals in 2005 & 2007. The women’s have so far won nothing.

Ynys Môn –

That’s Anglesey to me and you. The men’s team have been quite successful over the years but not very recently. Most of their medals came in the 80s and 90s – gold in 1999; silver in 1989, 1991, 1997 & 2001. Nothing for the women’s team thus far.

We will keep tabs on this tournament, both in terms of the current Games and future ones. We love a World Cup and a Champions League as much as the next fan but there is passion and heart at all levels of football from Grassroots up. Whether it’s England or the Isle of Wight; Scotland or Shetland; Argentina or the Falklands. Who knows, we might find the Malvinas Messi!