As the NatWest International Island Games draw closer, the football groupings have now been announced. The draws were held after consultation with Ricky Weir, chair of the football Technical Committee for the IIGA and were made by Chris Schofield, Guernsey Football Association Chair, and Martyn Banton, GFA Vice Chair and overseen by Brian Allen from the Guernsey 2023 Organising Committee.

Sixteen teams will be competing in the men’s competition, with ten in the women’s. For the first time in the history of the Games, the men’s competition was oversubscribed. The groups are:

Men’s football tournament

Womens’ football tournament

Gary Roberts, football coordinator for the Games, said ‘The Football Community in Guernsey is looking forward to the 2023 Games football tournament, with excitement building now that the draw has been made. Everyone is aware of the growing popularity of the women’s game, particularly following England’s success in the Euros last year, and we look forward to welcoming the 9 visiting women’s teams, along with the 15 visiting men’s teams, for what we anticipate will be very competitive competitions.

‘The Football Organising Committee is progressing well with preparations for the competitions, and this includes plans to introduce a £125k pitch maintenance equipment bank that will be used to ensure the pitches at College Field, Corbet Field, Northfield, Blanche Pierre Lane and the Track are in the best possible condition.'

The football pool games will take place Sunday 9^th- Tuesday 11^th July. The top teams from each group will go through to the playoffs on Thursday 13^th July with the finals on Friday 14^th July.

The draw was filmed and full coverage can be seen at guernsey2023.gg. The full programme with details of all the fixures for the Games in July is now being completed and will be release by the end of February.