The top eight teams from the Digicel Fiji Premier League have secured their places in the Super Premier Division of the FMF Inter-District Championship, which will take place at Churchill Park in Lautoka next month. The qualified teams are Rewa, Labasa, Lautoka, Ba, Nadi, Navua, Suva, and Nadroga.
Tailevu/Naitasiri and Nasinu have been relegated and will compete in the Premier Division, alongside Bua, Tavua, Lami, and Seaqaqa. The Senior Division will feature teams such as Savusavu, Taveuni, Nadogo, Dreketi, Rakiraki, and Northland Tailevu.
The draws for the 2024 FMF IDC will occur on Tuesday, October 1, at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva at 11 AM. The tournament is scheduled for October 15-20.
In related news, three players have been added to the national men’s football team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Oceania qualifiers. National team head coach Rob Sherman announced that midfielder Leroy Jennings from Sydney United FC, defender Gabrieli Matanisiga from Wellington Olympic AFC, and defender Kavaia Rawaqa from Suva FC have joined the 27-member squad.
According to national team manager Kartik Reddy, this addition aims to bolster the team’s strength for a strong performance in the qualifiers. Reddy stated, “We aim to claim the 1.5 spots available to OFC for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” The team will convene for training on September 29 at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba, with the final 23-member squad set to be revealed on October 5.
Notably, veteran defender Remueru Tekiata and Muni Shivam Naidu will miss out on selection due to work commitments. Captain Roy Krishna is expected to join the squad on October 5 after fulfilling his obligations with Odisha FC in the Indian Super League.
Fiji is placed in Group A, alongside Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. The national side will commence its campaign against the Solomon Islands on October 10 at 7 PM in Suva, followed by matches against Papua New Guinea on November 14 and New Caledonia on November 17, both taking place at the PNG Football Stadium.