# Island Games

The Island Games (currently known as the NatWest International Island Games for sponsorship reasons) are biennial international multi-sports events organised by the International Island Games Association (IIGA). Competitor teams each represent different island communities (with one team from the peninsula of Gibraltar) which are IIGA members. Currently, all competitor teams represent non-sovereign territories of European nations—some within European waters and some further overseas.
The most recent edition was the 2023, which took place in Guernsey with around 2,200 competitors from 24 islands or island groups participating in 14 sports. The next games will be hosted by Orkney in 2025.

## History

The Island Games began in 1985 as the Inter-Island Games, as part of the Isle of Man International Year of Sport, and were intended to be a one-off sporting celebration only. Geoffrey Corlett, who became the first Games Director, not only contacted the islands surrounding the United Kingdom, but also encouraged the countries of Iceland and Malta, the territories of Faroe Islands, Greenland, Saint Helena, the Channel Islands and others to participate.
Initially, fifteen islands with 600 competitors and officials took part in seven sports, with the total cost of staging the Games being put at £70,000. The track and field events were held on an eight-lane grass track, a far cry from the current games, which now use synthetic tracks in stadiums capable of holding thousands of spectators. The Games of 1985 were so successful that organisers decided to hold a similar event two years later. The Games have grown from strength to strength, with limits now in place for the number of teams, and the number of sports at each Games, currently 12 to 14. Sark could be considered the most successful island, their population of 600 having acquired 20 medals by 2015, one for every 30 people.
NatWest International has been the main sponsor of the Games since 1999. In April 2018, they signed a deal extending their sponsorship until at least 2021. In 2020, Natwest International confirmed the Guernsey games, originally scheduled for 2021, but delayed to 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic would be the last tournament they would be sponsoring. At the time the replacement sponsor had not been confirmed.
A traditional symbol of the games was started in 1991 when Åland asked all teams to bring some water from their islands, which was then mixed in a fountain. All future games has water from the previous fountain added to water from each island competing in the new games, creating a symbol of "mixing together".

## Games venues

Guernsey put in a bid for the 2021 Games following the Faroe Islands' withdrawal from hosting. The bid was approved in July 2016. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Games were cancelled and rescheduled for 2023 with Guernsey still as hosts, with future hosts pushed out by two years as well.
Orkney will host the 2025 Games. They were awarded the right to host on 7 July 2018 at the AGM in Gibraltar.
The Isle of Man made an official bid to host the Island Games in 2029 in July 2023.
In August 2018 it was reported that the Falkland Islands are considering hosting the Games in 2033.
In December 2023 it was announced that the Faroe Islands would replace Ynys Môn as the hosts of the 2027 games due to funding having been directed to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Faroe Islands, who had submitted a bid for the 2031 games, expressed a desire to host the games early, having previously guaranteed funding towards the games in 2018, and were selected as a replacement for Ynys Môn.
| Year | Games | Host island | Numbers of participants | Athletes | Sports |
| 1985 | I | Isle of Man | 15 | 700 | 7 |
| 1987 | II | Guernsey | 18 | 1,049 | 9 |
| 1989 | III | Faroe Islands | 15 | 800 | 11 |
| 1991 | IV | Åland | 17 | 1,500 | 13 |
| 1993 | V | Isle of Wight | 19 | 1,448 | 14 |
| 1995 | VI | Gibraltar | 18 | 1,214 | 13 |
| 1997 | VII | Jersey | 20 | ~2,000 | 13 |
| 1999 | VIII | Gotland | 22 | 1,858 | 14 |
| 2001 | IX | Isle of Man | 22 | 2,020 | 15 |
| 2003 | X | Guernsey | 23 | 2,129 | 15 |
| 2005 | XI | Shetland | 24 | 1,658 | 14 |
| 2007 | XII | Rhodes | 25 | 2,343 | 14 |
| 2009 | XIII | Åland | 24 | 2,286 | 14 |
| 2011 | XIV | Isle of Wight | 24 | 2,311 | 14 |
| 2013 | XV | Bermuda | 22 | 1,296 | 14 |
| 2015 | XVI | Jersey | 24 | 2,430 | 14 |
| 2017 | XVII | Gotland | 23 | 2,333 | 14 |
| 2019 | XVIII | Gibraltar | 22 | 1,700 | 14 |
| 2021 | Postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic | Postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic | Postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic | Postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic | Postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2023 | XIX | Guernsey | 24 | 2,194 | 14 |
| 2025 | XX | Orkney | | | 13 |
| 2027 | XXI | Faroe Islands | | | |
| 2029 | XXII | Isle of Man | | | 14 |

## Participation

A total of 28 islands, island groups or territories have participated in the Island Games; eleven of these have participated in every Island Games.

### Medals

Every island has won at least 4 medals with Alderney the only island awaiting their first Gold.
Island Games participants and total medals won (to 2023) :
| Island(s) | Country (and status) | Population | Years | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Åland | Finland (autonomous province) | 28,666 | 1985– | 191 | 200 | 190.5 | 581.5 |
| Alderney | United Kingdom (island; part of the crown dependency (Bailiwick) of Guernsey) | 1,900 | 1987, 1993– | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Bermuda | United Kingdom (overseas territory) | 64,200 | 2003– | 107 | 115 | 119 | 341 |
| Cayman Islands | United Kingdom (overseas territory) | 56,700 | 1999– | 133 | 107 | 91 | 331 |
| Falkland Islands | United Kingdom (overseas territory) | 2,900 | 1993– | 2 | 11 | 13 | 26 |
| Faroe Islands | Denmark (autonomous territory) | 49,700 | 1985– | 269 | 255 | 301 | 825 |
| Frøya | Norway (island municipality) | 4,300 | 1985– | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Gibraltar | United Kingdom (overseas territory) | 30,000 | 1987– | 77.5 | 86.5 | 119 | 283 |
| Gotland | Sweden (county) | 57,200 | 1985– | 336.5 | 245.5 | 252 | 834 |
| Gozo | Malta (island) | 39,300 | 2023– | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Greenland | Denmark (autonomous territory) | 56,081 | 1989– | 24 | 31 | 38.5 | 93.5 |
| Guernsey | United Kingdom (island; part of the crown dependency (Bailiwick) of Guernsey) | 65,800 | 1985– | 536 | 549 | 534 | 1619 |
| Hitra | Norway (island municipality) | 4,250 | 1985–1989, 1997– | 4 | 10 | 15 | 28 |
| Isle of Man | United Kingdom (crown dependency) | 84,500 | 1985– | 530 | 495 | 460.5 | 1485.5 |
| Isle of Wight | United Kingdom (English county) | 138,400 | 1985– | 203 | 208 | 220 | 621 |
| Jersey | United Kingdom (crown dependency, Bailiwick) | 105,500 | 1985– | 634 | 625 | 560.3 | 1819.3 |
| Menorca | Spain (island) | 94,400 | 2007– | 57 | 57 | 71 | 185 |
| Orkney | United Kingdom (Scottish council area) | 21,300 | 1985– | 23 | 41 | 44 | 108 |
| Saaremaa | Estonia (county) | 31,000 | 1991– | 126 | 129 | 101.5 | 356.5 |
| Saint Helena | United Kingdom (overseas territory) | 4,250 | 1985–1987, 1997– | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
| Sark | United Kingdom (island part of the crown dependency of Guernsey) | 600 | 1987–2011, 2015– | 3 | 17 | 7 | 27 |
| Shetland | United Kingdom (Scottish council area) | 23,200 | 1985– | 62 | 83 | 113 | 258 |
| Western Isles | United Kingdom (Scottish council area) | 27,400 | 2005– | 28 | 26 | 27 | 81 |
| Ynys Môn | United Kingdom (Welsh principal area) | 69,700 | 1985– | 43 | 42 | 57 | 142 |
| Iceland | Iceland | 329,000 | 1985–1997 | 50 | 45 | 40.7 | 135.7 |
| Malta | Malta | 445,000 | 1985–1987 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Prince Edward Island | Canada (province) | 140,000 | 1991–2007 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
| Rhodes | Greece (island; Regional Unit (Περιφερειακή ενότητα)) | 115,500 | 1999–2011, 2015 | 53 | 52 | 45 | 150 |
Islands marked in grey are no longer members of the IIGA and so cannot compete at the Island Games.

### Participation in other games

Of the 24 current IIGA members, two (Bermuda and the Cayman Islands) have competed in their own right at the Olympic Games.
Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey and St. Helena have each sent teams to the Commonwealth Games.

### Olympic athletes

Islanders who have gone on to participate in Olympic Games events include:
* Mark Cavendish (Isle of Man) — cycling (Olympic silver medal winner)
* Alastair Chalmers (Guernsey) - 400m hurdles - Paris 2024
* Cameron Chalmers (Guernsey) - 4 × 400m - Tokyo 2020
* Dale Garland (Guernsey) - 4 × 400m - Beijing 2008
* Rebecca Heyliger (Bermuda) - swimming
* Pál Joensen (Faroe Islands) — swimming (World Championship bronze medal winner)
* Lee Merrien (Guernsey) - Marathon - London 2012
* Cydonie Mothersille (Cayman Islands) — 200m (World Championship bronze medal winner)
* Kelly Sotherton (Isle of Wight) — heptathlon and 400m (Olympic bronze medal winner)
* Mattias Sunneborn (Gotland) — long jump and 200m (World Indoor Championship silver medal winner)
* Albert Torres (Menorca) — cycling (World Championship gold medal winner)
* Andres Lauk (Saaremaa) − cycling − Atlanta 1996

## Sports

The host country chooses between 12 and 14 different sports for their games from this list:
| Sport | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | XIII | XIV | XV | XVI | XVII | XVIII | XIX | Total | XX |
| Archery | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | | Y | 16 | Y |
| Athletics | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 19 | Y |
| Badminton | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 18 | Y |
| Basketball | | | | | | | | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 11 | |
| Bowls (Indoor‡, Lawn∞, or Ten Pin*) | | Y‡ | | | | | | Y* | | | Y‡ | | | | | | | Y* | Y‡ | 5 | Y∞ |
| Cycling | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 18 | Y |
| Football | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | 17 | Y |
| Golf | | | | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | 14 | Y |
| Gymnastics | | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | | Y | | Y | | Y | Y | | 12 | Y |
| Judo | | | Y | Y | Y | Y | | | | | | Y | Y | | | | | Y | | 7 | |
| Sailing (may include Sailboarding*) | | | | | Y* | Y* | Y* | Y | Y | Y* | Y* | Y* | Y* | Y* | Y* | Y* | | Y | Y | 14 | Y |
| Shooting | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 19 | Y |
| Squash | | | | | | | | | | | Y | | | Y | Y | | | Y | | 4 | Y |
| Swimming | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 19 | Y |
| Table Tennis | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | 17 | |
| Tennis | | | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 15 | |
| Triathlon | | | | | | | | | Y | Y | | Y | | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8 | Y |
| Volleyball (may include Beach Volleyball*) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y* | Y | Y | Y* | Y* | Y | Y* | | 18 | |
| Total sports | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | | 13 |
Notably, the Island Games' football tournament is one of the most well-established tournaments of non-FIFA international football.