Fiji has expressed  interest to put in their bid to host the 2027 Pacific Games.

This was confirmed yesterday by Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee president Makarita Lenoa.

“FASANOC has expressed interest to host the 2027 Pacific Games. So there will be a process which we will have to follow where we will work with the Government of Fiji and other stakeholders,” she said.

“So when we go back we will have to seat with them and prepare for the bid documents where we’ll need government support which is critical in hosting the Games.”

There will be a guideline set by the Pacific Games Council for the bid processes that need to be followed by all other interested nations.

“So we have to work with the government to ensure that we abide by these guidelines for the bid to be successful.”

Also, Tonga, American Samoa, Guam, Tahiti and Vanuatu have lodged their interest with the Council.

The declaration of interest from Tonga is one of the most eye-catching of the potential contenders.

The Tongan government withdrew from hosting this year’s Games, citing financial concerns as the motive for the decision. It led to the Council re-opening the bid process and selecting Samoa as replacement hosts.

Tonga will hope to host the Games for the first time should they be awarded the 2027 edition, having also bid unsuccessfully for the 2015 event.

Vanuatu, will hope their staging of the 2017 Pacific Mini Games stands them in good stead to be named as hosts.

Vanuatu’s bid for the 2015 edition of the Pacific Games, was beaten by Papua New Guinea’s capital city Port Moresby.

American Samoa also bid for the 2015 event, having lost the 2011 bid race to New Caledonia.

They hoped to secure the right to stage the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, but saw their bid deemed non-compliant by the council last year.

A re-opened bid process saw American Samoa again lodge a bid, but lack of government support led to the event being awarded to Palau.  Fiji, Guam and Tahiti have all hosted the Pacific Games on multiple occasions previously.

Fiji will be seeking to host the Games for a record fourth time, with the country currently sharing the record with New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.  The inaugural Pacific Games were held at Suva in 1963, before it returned to the capital city in 1979. Fiji’s most recent hosting of the event came in 2003.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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