Faroe Islands Set To Host 2027 Island Games
The Faroe Islands will host the International Island Games in 2027 after Ynys Mon pulled out due to the costs of the event.
The Welsh island, also known as Anglesey, cited several factors, including financial pressures after the Covid-19 pandemic, for its decision to withdraw from hosting the biennial multi-sport competition.
“We are extremely disappointed to have come to the difficult decision that we are not in a position to host the Island Games in 2027,” Gareth Parry, the chair of the Ynys Mon organising committee, said.
“The impact of the pandemic and other incidents across the world over recent years have had a devastating effect on the current financial climate in Ynys Mon and Wales.
“We had secured enough funding when submitting our bid before Covid with support from the Local Authority, the Charitable Trust, and the Welsh Government, but a recent review of the budget highlighted a significant funding gap that we are unable to meet in the current financial climate.
“Over seven years of hard work has gone into getting us to this position, and though we are extremely disappointed, the risks involved with continuing at this present time are too high.
“However, we and our partners are as committed as ever to bringing these fantastic Games to Ynys Mon and will review our position on an annual basis with a view of putting ourselves forward again as soon as is practicable.”
The Faroe Islands had been named as the preferred bidder for the Island Games in 2031.
Jorgen Pettersson, the International Island Games Association chairman, thanked the Faroe Islands for bringing forward their bid to host the 2027 Island Games.
“This is the way the Island Games family works,” Pettersson said. “We share success, and we share challenges.”
Faroe Islands – an autonomous territory of Denmark to the north of the Shetland Islands – also hosted the Islands Games in 1989.
Guernsey hosted the Island Games this summer, with more than 2,000 athletes participating from 23 islands, including Bermuda, across 14 sports.
Bermuda, who travelled with more than 70 athletes, claimed ten medals in archery, football, golf, indoor bowls, sailing, and tennis. They finished thirteenth in the medal table.
The games were postponed in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic and will be held in Orkney in 2025 and the Isle of Man in 2029.
