The top eight teams in the Digicel Fiji Premier League have secured their places in next month’s Super Premier Division of the FMF Inter-District Championship, set to take place at Churchill Park in Lautoka. The confirmed teams are Rewa, Labasa, Lautoka, Ba, Nadi, Navua, Suva, and Nadroga. Tailevu/Naitasiri and Nasinu have been relegated and will participate in the Premier Division along with Bua, Tavua, Lami, and Seaqaqa. The Senior Division will feature Savusavu, Taveuni, Nadogo, Dreketi, Rakiraki, and Northland Tailevu.
The pool draws for the 2024 FMF IDC are scheduled for next Tuesday, October 1, at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva at 11 am. The championship will be held from October 15 to 20.
In related news, three players have been added to the national men’s football team ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup Oceania qualifiers. National football head coach Rob Sherman announced the new inclusions, which consist of Leroy Jennings from Sydney United FC, Gabrieli Matanisiga from Wellington Olympic AFC, and Kavaia Rawaqa from Suva FC. These players will be part of the 27-member squad preparing for the qualifiers, starting with the first round on October 10 at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
National team manager Kartik Reddy stated that these additions aim to bolster the team’s roster for a strong campaign. “We aim to claim the 1.5 spots available to OFC for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” he noted. The squad will commence training on September 29 at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba, with the final 23-member team set to be announced on October 5.
Veteran defender Remueru Tekiata and Muni Shivam Naidu will miss out due to work commitments. Captain Roy Krishna is expected to join the team on October 5 after fulfilling his obligations with Odisha FC in the Indian Super League. Fiji has been drawn into Group A, where they will compete against the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. Their campaign will kick off against the Solomon Islands on October 10 in Suva at 7 pm, followed by matches against Papua New Guinea on November 14 and New Caledonia on November 17 at the PNG Football Stadium.