It has been necessary to hold a draw for the Guernsey 2023 NatWest International Island Games men’s football competition. According to the IIGA bylaws, the football competition shall be limited to no more than 16 teams and shall be played on a league basis in the 1st Stage, with teams divided into groups of not more than 4 teams in each group.

The reason there is a restriction on team sports to 16 is that with the 6 days of actual competition, it is only possible to run three games in the qualifying groups, have a rest day and then have the semis and final.

The Guernsey 2023 Organising Committee have received submissions from 19 Islands for the men’s football competition, therefore a draw has been held to eliminate three teams. The draw was held securely in Guernsey on Saturday 3 September 2022 with all Islands invited to watch online. The format of the draw was approved by the IIGA and the football technical committee and was supervised by Jurat Stephen Jones OBE.

Should any of the drawn teams be withdrawn then a ‘first reserve’ system will be operated.

The drawn teams are:

• Åland
• Bermuda
• Falkland Islands
• Froya
• Gozo
• Greenland
• Guernsey
• Isle of Man
• Isle of Wight
• Jersey
• Menorca
• Orkney
• Saaremaa
• Shetland Islands
• St Helena
• Ynys Mon

The reserve teams are:

• Western Isles
• Hitra
• Alderney

Full details of the IIGA football bylaws can be found at https://www.iiga.org/sports_profile_13636.html