Tonga’s 2031 Dream at Risk as Deadlines Pass and Bills Mount
Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa — Tonga’s main sporting venue and one of the facilities earmarked for renovation ahead of the 2031 Pacific Games. With just over five years to go, preparations have yet to formally begin.
Tuífua Vailena
Tonga needs to start getting ready for the 2031 Pacific Games — and it needs to start now. That’s the clear message from Pacific Games Council President Vidhya Lakhan and CEO Andrew Minogue, who visited the Kingdom this week.
They held meetings with Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua, TASANOC officials, and representatives from Tonga’s various sports associations.
Why the urgency?
Hosting the Pacific Games is a big deal. It takes years of planning, and there’s a lot of work to do — building or upgrading sports facilities, training referees and officials, and setting up a proper organising committee backed by law.
The Council warned that if Tonga falls behind on preparations, it could end up costing the country far more down the track. Tonga learned this lesson the hard way under the late Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva’s administration, when the country pulled out of hosting the 2019 Pacific Games at the last minute. Lawsuits sought between three and five million US dollars in damages, reputations were damaged across the Pacific, and years of preparation went to waste. Tonga was ultimately forced to reach a confidential settlement in 2022 that included a formal apology — a costly and embarrassing episode the nation cannot afford to repeat.
Tonga was awarded the 2031 Games in October 2024, yet progress has been slow. The Host Agreement required that within six months of winning the bid, the government and TASANOC establish an Audit and Finance Committee, a Facilities Committee, and a formal Organising Committee — complete with a CEO and senior staff. A Pacific Games Act was also required. Most of these obligations remain unmet. Earlier this year, TASANOC CEO Netina Vea acknowledged the situation plainly: “We’re not ready yet, but we will be as we get close to the date.”
The Council’s visit this month was a clear signal that “close to the date” is not good enough.
A big moment for Pacific sport
The 2031 Pacific Games will be extra special because they fall just one year before the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. This makes them a potential major stepping stone for Pacific athletes seeking Olympic qualification — something that adds enormous prestige, and pressure, to Tonga’s hosting responsibilities.
What needs to happen
TASANOC, which oversees all Olympic sports in Tonga, was told to get moving on several fronts:
- Train more qualified referees and technical officials
- Assess what equipment and facilities are needed
- Hold more local competitions to develop athletes
- Build stronger connections with regional and international sports bodies
Vea also highlighted the need for significant infrastructure work — including new venues for swimming and lawn bowling, and improvements to roads and accommodation facilities — work that should have been progressing since the bid was won in October 2024.
The funding question
The financial stakes could not be higher. According to an analysis by Tonga Independent News, the failure to establish an Organising Committee in a timely manner could cost Tonga between two and four million US dollars in lost sponsorship revenue and higher borrowing costs alone. Corporate sponsors plan their budgets years in advance — with major sponsorship cycles typically opening six to eight years before an event. Missing that window means smaller deals, fewer partners, and a tighter budget when it matters most.
On top of that, the 2019 withdrawal already extracted a heavy toll, with lawsuits seeking between three and five million US dollars in damages before a confidential settlement was reached.
Former Pacific Games organiser Takitoa Taumoapeau put it bluntly: “When you leave the core organising structure empty for more than a year, you’re not just losing time — you’re losing credibility with sponsors, contractors, and even your own athletes.”
While former Prime Minister Dr. ‘Aisake Eke had confirmed the government was developing a six-year funding plan, and former Internal Affairs Minister Hon. Sinai Tu’itahi dismissed reports of no funds — pointing to the sports levy and support from two unnamed foreign countries — the absence of a formal Organising Committee means potential sponsors and donors have no official body to negotiate with.
The road to 2031
Tonga will use several upcoming events to build experience and momentum:
- Tonga National Games — December 2026
- Tahiti Pacific Games — 2027
- Cook Islands Pacific Mini Games — 2029
Tonga has a golden opportunity — to showcase the Kingdom to the Pacific, to develop its athletes, to redeem its reputation as a reliable host nation, and to build world-class facilities for tomorrow’s youth. But that opportunity will only be seized if the government and TASANOC stop waiting and start working. The clock is ticking.
