2023 Pacific Games Solomon Islands: Preview, schedule, how to watch live action

The Pacific Games 2023 take place in the Solomon Islands from 19 November to 2 December 2023, and will mark the first time the country hosts Oceania's continental Games in its 17th edition.

While the Opening Ceremony is set for 19 November, competition begins two days prior on 17 November in four sports.

Twenty-four teams representing the region's countries and territories will compete in 346 events across 27 sports disciplines – 22 Pacific Games Council members, plus invited teams Australia and New Zealand. The latter two did not compete at the Pacific Games until 2015 due to concerns that they would dominate events; both sporting giants still refrain from sending full teams to the Pacific Games for this reason.

Direct quota spots for qualification to the Paris 2024 Olympics are available in archery and boxing.

Athletes to watch at the Pacific Games 2023 in Solomon Islands

Athletes from New Caledonia, a French territory in the Pacific whose athletes would represent France in most major international competitions, have dominated in the history of the Pacific Games. Fijian athletes are also ones to watch for, and while traditional sporting powerhouses Australia and New Zealand are sending smaller teams, they will still be expected to perform well.

Among the athletes taking part are Australia's 2016 Olympic medallist Ryan Tyack in archery and Tokyo 2020 boxing medallist Harry Garside, Fiji's Tokyo 2020 bronze-medal-winning women's rugby sevens team, two-time table tennis Olympian Sally Yee from Fiji, and Samoa's two-time Commonwealth Games boxing silver medallist Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali.

Winners of each of the 13 boxing weight categories, plus the gold medallists in the archery mixed team event, will each obtain a Paris 2024 quota spot. As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.

Schedule of sports competitions at 2023 Pacific Games

• Opening Ceremony: 19 November
• Archery: 21–24 November
• Athletics: 27 November–2 December
• Basketball: 17–25 November
• Basketball 3X3: 29 November–2 December
• Beach Volleyball: 28 November–2 December
• Bodybuilding: 27 November
• Boxing: 28 November–2 December
• Football: 17 November–2 December
• Golf: 22–25 November
• Hockey: 28 November–1 December
• Judo: 20–21 November
• Karate: 23–24 November
• Kayak: 27–30 November
• Netball: 27 November–2 December
• Powerlifting: 28–30 November
• Rugby League Nines: 20–22 November
• Rugby Sevens (Union): 23–25 November
• Sailing: 20 November–2 December
• Swimming: 20–25 November
• Table Tennis: 20–25 November
• Taekwondo: 28–29 November
• Tennis: 17–30 November
• Touch Rugby: 27 November–2 December
• Triathlon: 29 November–1 December
• Va'a (outrigger canoe): 27 November–1 December
• Volleyball: 17–25 November
• Weightlifting: 20–24 November
• Closing Ceremony: 2 December

How to watch the 2023 Pacific Games

Here is a selected list of broadcasters for the Sol2023 Games:

• Australia – SBS, NITV
• Solomon Islands – SIBC TV, TTV
• New Caledonia, Tahiti (French Polynesia), Wallis and Futuna – France Télévisions
• Papua New Guinea – NBC
• Fiji – Fiji TV
• Samoa – SBC TV1
• Vanuatu – VBTC
• Tonga – Tonga Broadcasting Corporation