Football was contested as part of the programme for the 2005 Island Games which was hosted in Shetland from 9 to 15 July 2005. It was the ninth edition of the men's football tournament at the multi-sport event organised by the International Island Games Association.
The football tournament began with the first matches in the group stage on 10 July 2005 and ended with the gold medal match on 15 July 2005. Hosts Shetland and Guernsey, the two-time defending champions, contested the final. Goals from John Montgomery and Duncan Bray helped Shetland defeat Guernsey 2âÂÂ0 to win the gold medal. In the bronze medal match, the Western Isles defeated the Isle of Man 4âÂÂ0.
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.
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 àland. Guernsey were two-time defending champions after defeating Ynys Môn on penalties in the gold medal match at the 2001 Island Games held on the Isle of Man and then the Isle of Man 3âÂÂ1 in the gold medal match as hosts at the 2003 Island Games.
A total of 10 teams took part in the competition. They were drawn into two single round robin groups of five teams. The winning team from each group would contest the gold medal match and the runners-up would contest the bronze medal match. Play-off placement matches were held for the teams finishing third, fourth and fifth in each group â the third-placed teams contested the fifth-place match, the fourth-placed teams contested the seventh-place match and the fifth-placed teams contested the ninth-place match.
Shetland won the group to progress to the gold medal match.
Guernsey won all four of their games to progress to the gold medal match.
Orkney defeated the Falkland Islands in the ninth-place match.
ÃÂ land U21 defeated Greenland in the seventh-place match.
Ynys Môn defeated Saare County in the fifth-place match.
The Western Isles defeated the Isle of Man in the bronze medal match.
Shetland defeated Guernsey in the gold medal match.