Football at the Island Games


Football has been a regular event since 1989 at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies. A 5-a-side competition for under-16s was held at the inaugural event on the Isle of Man, and the success this minor competition brought to the games meant senior men's football was included on the itinerary for the first time in the Faroe Islands, in 1989. Women's football was included on the games' schedule for the first time in 2001.
Over the years, the competition has grown in stature, becoming one of the most important competitions for 'national' teams in non-FIFA football, and has grown from a five-team round robin competition to a 16-team tournament. Football was not included in the 2019 Island Games as hosts Gibraltar do not have enough pitches. As a replacement the 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament was held in Anglesey, and was not officially part of the games.

Men's tournament

Performances by team

Year
Participants		1989
5		1991
8		1993
8		1995
8		1997
9		1999
14		2001
12		2003
15		2005
10		2007
11		2009
16		2011
15		2013
4		2015
16		2017
16		2023
16
3rd4th3rd7th6th7th7th2nd4th9th7th13th
11th14th16th15th
4th1st4th
11th10th16th13th3rd12th16th14th
1st1st
7th12th13th8th15th4th14th15th
8th2nd6th11th5th6th1st9th5th10th
7th9th6th11th10th14th6th
4th8th4th4th9th8th9th10th8th12th11th2nd5th2nd8th
6th5th4th9th1st1st2nd3rd2nd1st3rd5th
6th
8th13th15th12th
2nd8th2nd7th2nd4th4th8th2nd1st9th
7th5th1st3rd3rd4th4th10th1st6th3rd
3rd1st3rd1st4th3rd3rd5th1st3rd7th5th1st
9th7th7th3rd4th12th
12th8th9th9th10th
5th6thDNF2nd5thDSQ
14th10th12th6th10th14th6th13th13th
16th
14th
5th5th7th5th10th8th7th1st13th4th10th7th
3rd3rd8th12th11th11th11th
2nd2nd5th6th2nd1st2nd5th5th11th6th9th8th8th2nd

Top goalscorers

YearPlayerGoals
1989

Women's tournament

Performances by team

Year
Participants		2001
7		2003
8		2005
6		2007
11		2009
10		2011
10		2013
3		2015
11		2017
11		2023
10