The Pacific Mini Games are a continental multi-sport event contested by countries and territories located in Oceania. The event has been held every four years since the inaugural games in Honiara, Solomon Islands in 1981. It was known as the South Pacific Mini Games prior to 2009. It is called the 'Mini' games because it is a scaled-down version of the main Pacific Games and is similarly rotated on a four-year basis in the intervening years between the main Games.

The Mini Games have been hosted by 9 different Pacific Island capitals around 4 countries and 5 territories. The Cook Islands have hosted twice and is scheduled for a third in 2029. Vanuatu and Palau have also hosted two Games. Similarly to the main Games, athletes with a disability are included as full members of their national teams. In each sporting event, gold medals are awarded for first place, silver medals are awarded for second place, and bronze medals are awarded for third place.

Unlike the main Games, there is equal dominance from Pacific Games associations (PGA's). Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Fiji have all ranked first a record 3 times, with Samoa, Nauru, and Tahiti topping the games once.

Concept Following the success of the main Pacific Games, the Pacific Games council decided to create a smaller version of the games to enable smaller nations and territories to host events and compete against each other. From this came the Pacific Mini Games.

Pacific Games Council

The governing body for the mini games is the Pacific Games Council. Much like the main games, the Games council flag is presented to the host nation of the next mini games at the end of every games. As of 2017, the council has 22 member nations.

Two other nations, Australia and New Zealand, are not members of the council but are invited as observers to the council's general assembly. These nations participated at the mini games in 2017 and made their main games debut in 2015.

Editions

List of Pacific Mini Games Games Host Games dates /Opened by Sports Competitors Events Nations Top nation1981 Honiara 8 – 16 July 1981 Unknown 5 +600 51 15 New Caledonia1985 Rarotonga 31 July – 9 August 1985 Unknown 6 700 56 161989 Nuku'alofa 22 August – 1 September 1989 King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV 6 832 93 161993 Port Vila 6 – 16 December 1993 Unknown 6 67 151997 Pago Pago 11 – 22 August 1997 Unknown 11 1798 144 192001 Kingston 3 – 14 December 2001 Unknown 10 97 182005 Koror 25 July – 4 August 2005 President Thomas Remengesau Jr. 12 170 20 New Caledonia2009 Rarotonga 21 September – 2 October 2009 Queen's Rep Sir Frederick Goodwin 15 +1354 144 212013 Mata Utu 2 – 12 September 2013 French President François Hollande 8 127 222017 Port Vila 5 – 15 December 2017 President Tallis Obed Moses 14 ~2000 173 23+1 New Caledonia2022 Saipan 17 – 25 June 2022 Governor Ralph Torres 9 1034 144 192025 Koror 29 June – 9 July 2025 President Surangel Whipps Jr. 12 ~2000 236 232029 Rarotonga TBA 2029 TBA 12 24 (expected)

As with the main games, the cost of providing the necessary facilities and infrastructure is a concern to the region's smaller nations. In preparation for the 2009 Games in Rarotonga, despite having hosted the games previously, the local government considered diverting funds from a highway project, and secured a loan for US$10 million from the Chinese government to finance the building of a stadium.Stadium and China loan on hold Cook Islands News Online, 12 September 2007

Sports

There are 36 approved sports by the Pacific Games Council updated in 2025. Unlike the main games, the Pacific Mini Games does not have a compulsory sports list. However, 50 percent of the sports selected for a games must be from the compulsory sports list of the PGC. After the 2025 Games in Koror, 28 of the 36 sports have been included at the Mini Games since the inaugural edition in 1981.

Listed are sports already contested at the Pacific Mini Games.

Sport Discipline Code & Pictogram Body Years Status Archery ARC World Archery 2001, 2017, 2025 Athletics ATH World Athletics 1981–present Badminton BDM BWF 2022 Baseball and softball Baseball BBL WBSC 2005, 2022–present Softball SBL 2005, 2025 Basketball 3x3 BK3 FIBA 2017, 2025 Basketball BKB 1997, 2005 Bodybuilding BDB WBPF 2001 Boxing BOX World Boxing 1981, 1989–1997, 2009, 2017 Football FBL FIFA 1981, 1993, 2017 Golf GLF IGF 1985–2001, 2009, 2017–2022 Judo JUD IJF 2017, 2025 Karate KTE WKF 2017 Lawn bowls LBW World Bowls 1985, 2001, 2009 Netball NTB World Netball 1981–2001, 2009, 2017 Outrigger canoeing Va'a VAA IVF 2005–2013, 2022–present Kayak KYK 2025 Powerlifting PLF IPF 1997 Rugby Sevens RU7 World Rugby 1997, 2009–2017 Sailing SAL World Sailing 1997, 2009–2013 Shooting SHO ISSF 2001 Squash SQU WSF 2001, 2009 Swimming SWM World Aquatics 2005, 2025 Table tennis TTE ITTF 2005–2009, 2017, 2025 Taekwondo TKW World Taekwondo 2013 Tennis TEN ITF 1981–2009, 2017–2022 Touch rugby TRU FIT 2009 Triathlon TRI World Triathlon 2001–2009, 2022–present Volleyball Beach VBV FIVB 2005, 2013–present Indoor VVO 1997, 2013, 2025 Weightlifting WLF IWF 1989, 1997, 2005–present Wrestling Freestyle WRF UWW 2005, 2025 Greco-Roman WRG 2005, 2025 Beach WRB 2025 Rugby Union RUG World Rugby 1985 Discontinued Rugby league Sevens RL7 IRL 2009 Discontinued

Participating nations Only ten teams have attended every Pacific Mini Games: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu. This list includes all 22 current PGAs and the two invitational teams, arranged alphabetically. The three-letter country code is also listed for each PGA. Country name changes are explained by footnotes after the nation's name, and other notes are explained by footnotes linked within the table.

Other entries IPA. Athletes from Tahiti competed as Independent Athletes in 2017. No official Tahiti team took part in the 2017 Mini Games following the French Polynesian government's decision to boycott the event. A number of Tahitian athletes competed under the banner of the Pacific Games Council.

Table legend 81 In the table headings, indicates the Games year•Participated in the specified GamesHHost nation for the specified Games[a]Additional explanatory comments at the linked footnote Nation not a member of the Pacific Games Council during these years PGA superseded or preceded by other PGA(s) during these years

PGA Code818589939701050913172225Total ASA • • • • H • • • • • • • 12 AUS • • • 3 COK • H • • • • • H • • • • 12 FSM • • • • • • • • 8 FIJ • • • • • • • • • • • • 12 PYF • • • • • • • • • • 10 GUM • • • • • • • • • • • 11 KIR • • • • • • • • • • 10 MHL • • • • • 5 NRU • • • • • • • • • • • 11 NCL • • • • • • • • • • • • 12 NZL • • 2 NIU • • • • • • • • • 9 NFK • • • • • H • • • • • • 12 NMI • • • • • • • • • H • 11 PLW • • H • • • • H 8 PNG • • • • • • • • • • • • 12 SAM • • • • • • • • • • • • 12 SOLH • • • • • • • • • • • 12 TKL • • • • 4 TGA • • H • • • • • • • • • 12 TUV • • • • • • 6 VAN • • • H • • • • • H • • 12 WLF • • • • • • H • • • 10Other entriesCode818589939701050913172225Total Independent PGC Athletes [^]IPA ^ 1

All-time medal table This table shows all medals won by a Pacific Games association since the inaugural games in 1981 to the most recent games held in 2025.

See also Pacific Games

References

Sources