The football tournament began with the first matches in the group stage on 30 June 2007 and ended with the gold medal match on 5 July 2007. Gibraltar and hosts Rhodes contested the final. Gibraltar defeated Rhodes 4–0 to win the gold medal. In the bronze medal match, the Western Isles defeated the Bermuda 1–0.
Background
Football had been part of the Island Games programme following the debut of a senior men's competition at the 1989 Island Games in the Faroe Islands. Previously, a five-a-side youth football tournament was held at the inaugural games in 1985 held in Douglas, Isle of Man but football was completely absent from the programme at the 1987 Island Games held in Guernsey.[1]
The Faroe Islands, Jersey and Guernsey held the record for gold medals having won the men's football tournament twice although the Faroe Islands have not competed since their win at the 1991 Island Games in Åland. Shetland were the defending champions after defeating Guernsey 2–0 in the gold medal match as hosts at the 2005 Island Games, preventing Guernsey from winning a third consecutive gold medal.[1]
Format
A total of 11 teams took part in the competition. They were drawn into four groups – three single round robin groups of three teams and one double round robin group of two teams. The winning team from each group would contest the semi-finals which would decide the teams contesting the gold and bronze medal matches. Play-off placement matches were held for the teams finishing second and third in each group – the runners-up would contest the fifth to eighth semi-finals and the third-placed teams contested the ninth to 11th semi-finals.[2]
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Gibraltar (1st title)
Rhodes 
Western Isles 
Bermuda 
