The draw for the Island Games has provided almost all the biggest football teams who had been at risk of missing out on Orkney 2025 with a place at the tournament.
Island footballing powerhouses including Guernsey, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight and Ynys Mon faced the prospect of missing out on a spectacle which had been oversubscribed before it was reduced from 16 teams to 12 for the next edition.
The move was made because of a lack of accommodation, with the Isle of Wight men’s team the major side not to be drawn a place.
There could be just seven spaces available for the men’s tournament, alongside five teams who are eligible for automatic entry.
Hosts Orkney and men’s holders Jersey were assured of spots, while Faroe Islands were also guaranteed an entry as the hosts in 2029.
Orkney’s fierce rivals Shetland have been allocated a place after a wait for the draw described as “anxious” by George Smith, president of the Shetland Football Association.
“What I think needs to happen, if they’ve got more teams entering than what there are places, is they need to let the islands know as early as possible if they have a place or not,” Smith told the BBC.
Beccy May, vice-chair of Orkney 2025, said it had “always been the aspiration” of organisers to have 16 teams in the men’s and women’s competitions.
“It may be that we have significant progress in terms of our accommodation and accommodation providers on the island,” May added.
“We might be able to elevate the number of teams participating in football to more than 12 and 12.
“But I think we need to make a firm decision at this point, before the year-to-go event, so that our member islands understand what we’re aiming for now. That doesn’t necessarily mean that won’t change in the future.”
The Games will take place from 12-18 July 2025. Teams will be split into leagues and play each other in a round-robin format, with the top side from each group advancing to the semi-finals and the rest playing games to decide placings.