The Indian Ocean Island Games

Games born in Réunion

The idea of sports games between the islands of the Indian Ocean was launched in 1974 by the Regional Olympic and Sports Committee of Réunion, then adopted by the International Olympic Committee. The first Indian Ocean Island Games (JIOI) were held in Réunion from 25 August to 1 September 1979. During the opening ceremony, at the Saint-Paul stadium, the flags of the participating countries arrived… by parachute.

A regional celebration every four years

The Games then went to Mauritius (1985), Madagascar (1990) and the Seychelles (1993), and have since rotated between these islands: Réunion in 1998 and 2015, Mauritius in 2003 and 2019, Madagascar in 2007 and 2023, the Seychelles in 2011. On the programme: athletics, swimming, football, judo, boxing, sailing and even pétanque, with para-sport events since 1998. At the most recent editions, seven delegations took part: the Comoros, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion and the Seychelles.

The archipelago at the Games

The Comoros have been present since the first Games, in 1979: their football team played its very first matches there, against Mauritius, the Maldives and Réunion. In 1998, in Réunion, the Comorian delegation numbered 130 athletes. Mayotte first competed alongside Réunion, in 2003, then as a separate delegation from 2007, the year its football team won the bronze medal.

2027, the Games in the Comoros

Awarded to the Comoros for a time for 2019, before being given to Mauritius, the Games will be held in the archipelago for the first time in 2027: the 12th edition will take place in the Comoros from 10 to 19 August 2027. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday 10 August, the day the men's football tournament kicks off. The dates, initially set for late August and early September, were brought forward at the request of Réunion, so as not to clash with the start of the school year. Nearly twenty sports are on the programme, from athletics to sailing, including judo, wrestling, handball, cycling and pétanque.

Building for the Games

To host the delegations, the Comoros are building a Games village of 200 villas in Moindzaza Djoumbé, due for delivery on 31 May 2027, as well as a multi-sports hall in Mitsoudjé and a swimming pool. In October 2026, a mission from the International Council of the Games, led by Mauritian Philippe Hao Thyn Voon, judged the progress of the work encouraging, while urging that the pace be kept up. Follow the latest news in the sports news.