The Island Games are biannual international multi-sports events organised by the International Island Games Association (IIGA). Competitor teams each represent different island communities which are IIGA members. Currently all competitor teams represent non-sovereign territories of European nations - some within European waters and some further overseas.
The Gibraltar national football team represents Gibraltar in international football competitions, and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association. Gibraltar applied for full UEFA membership and was accepted by the UEFA Congress in May 2013 and can therefore compete in the UEFA European Championship beginning with the 2016 tournament for which the team competed in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D. On 13 May 2016 Gibraltar became a member of FIFA at the governing body's 66th Congress which was held in Mexico City. Gibraltar is the second smallest UEFA member in terms of population and the smallest in terms of area.
The Jersey national cricket team is the team that represents the Bailiwick of Jersey, a Crown dependency in international cricket. They became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2005, and an associate member in 2007.
Non-FIFA international football is the segment of international football that is not overseen by FIFA. FIFA is the international governing body of association football, overseeing football globally and with running international representative matches. However, some international football takes place outside its purview. This often consists of matches involving sub-national entities such as islands, colonies, or autonomous regions. Representative matches also occur involving states with limited international recognition who are unable to qualify for FIFA membership. There are also a limited number of states whose representative teams are not affiliated to FIFA. Historically, a number of competitions occurred outside FIFA's auspices. Member associations are national associations, usually affiliated to continental confederations which are subordinate to FIFA.
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.
The Inter-insular match is a cricket match played annually between the representative teams of Channel Islands Jersey and Guernsey. It has been played since 1950 and often attracts crowds above 1,000. It is often referred as ‘reds vs greens’ contest. The format has varied over the years but has been played as a 50-over contest in recent times and a Women’s Inter-Insular match was first played in 2009. In 2018, the format switched to a series of Twenty20 matches, although 2019 saw a return of the traditional 50-over match in addition to the Twenty20 series. On 31 May 2019, there was also a one-off Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) fixture between the two women's teams. It was the first WT20I match for both teams.
In its own right Jersey participates in the Commonwealth Games and in the bi-annual Island Games, which it last hosted in 2015. Jersey is a founder member of the Island Games Association and has participated in every Games since the first in 1985. Jersey first competed in 1958 in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games and has since participated in every staging of what became the Commonwealth Games. Youth sports participation includes the Commonwealth Youth Games and Jeux des Isles.
Guernsey participates in its own right in the Commonwealth Games.
Sport plays a prominent role in Gibraltarian life. The range of sports practiced in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar is wide and varied in comparison to its size of less than 7 square kilometres. The Government of Gibraltar promotes sport within The Rock and supports many local sports associations financially. Gibraltar also competes in international sporting events, having competed in the Commonwealth Games since 1958, and in the biennial Island Games, which it hosted in 1995 and 2019.
The Gibraltar men's national basketball team is the representative for the British overseas territory of Gibraltar in international basketball. The team is selected by the Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (GABBA) which is a member of FIBA Europe since 1985. The team competes at the European Championship for Small Countries, and in the Island Games.
Christopher Walker is a Gibraltarian triathlete and cyclist.
Basketball is an event at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies.
Cycling is an event at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies.
The XVIII Island Games was held in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar between 6 and 12 July 2019. This was the second time that the territory has hosted the games, the first being in 1995.
The XIX Island Games were to have been held in Guernsey, Channel Islands in 2021 however due to the COVID-19 pandemic the games have been postponed. This occasion will be the third time that the island has hosted the games, the first being in 1987, the second in 2003.
The 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament was an association football tournament which was held between 15 and 22 June 2019 in Anglesey, Wales. It was organised due to the hosts of the 2019 Island Games, Gibraltar being unable to run a tournament due to lack of pitches. As football is one of the most popular sports at the games it was decided to hold the matches elsewhere, albeit with the results not officially part of the Island Games history.
Guernsey cricket team hosted Jersey cricket team from 31 May to 1 June 2019 to contest the 2019 T20 Inter-Insular Cup, consisted of three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. The series took place at two grounds in Guernsey: College Field in Saint Peter Port and King George V Sports Ground in Castel. The two sides had played an Inter-Insular match annually since 1950, generally as 50-over contests. A Twenty20 series was played for the first time in 2018, with Jersey winning the inaugural series 3–0.
Elena Clare Johnson is a badminton player from Guernsey who competed in the Island Games since 2001 and the Commonwealth Games five times.
Kimberley Ashton, also known as Kim Ashton, is a cyclist and former badminton player from Jersey. She represented Jersey in badminton at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and cycling at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She has also competed at the Island Games.
The 2021 Inter-Insular Women's T20 Series was scheduled to be played in July 2021 and would have seen Guernsey women's cricket team tour Jersey for three Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) matches. The series was to be played at Farmers' Field in Saint Martin. The traditional annual 50-over Inter-insular match between the men's teams of Jersey and Guernsey was scheduled to follow in August 2021, if conditions had allowed. Guernsey won the single WT20I when the sides last met during the 2019 T20 Inter-Insular Cup.
2019-20