The top eight teams in the Digicel Fiji Premier League standings have secured their places in the Super Premier Division of the FMF Inter-District Championship, which will take place next month at Churchill Park in Lautoka. The qualified teams are Rewa, Labasa, Lautoka, Ba, Nadi, Navua, Suva, and Nadroga.
Tailevu/Naitasiri and Nasinu have been relegated to the Premier Division, where they will compete alongside Bua, Tavua, Lami, and Seaqaqa. The Senior Division will include teams such as Savusavu, Taveuni, Nadogo, Dreketi, Rakiraki, and Northland Tailevu.
The pool draws for the 2024 FMF Inter-District Championship are scheduled for Tuesday, October 1, at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva at 11 a.m. The championship itself will run from October 15 to October 20.
In related news, three players have been added to the national men’s football squad as they prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Oceania qualifiers. This was announced by national football head coach Rob Sherman. The new players joining the 27-member squad are Leroy Jennings, a midfielder from Sydney United FC; Gabrieli Matanisiga, a defender from Wellington Olympic AFC; and Kavaia Rawaqa from Suva FC.
Team manager Kartik Reddy stated that these additions will enhance the squad’s strength as they aim for a successful campaign in the qualifiers. “We aim to secure the 1.5 spots allocated to the OFC for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Reddy emphasized. The squad will enter training camp on September 29 at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba, with the final 23-member squad being announced on October 5.
Veteran defender Remueru Tekiata and Muni Shivam Naidu have been ruled out due to work commitments. National team captain Roy Krishna will join the squad on October 5 following his club commitments with Odisha FC in the Indian Super League.
Fiji is placed in Group A alongside the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. The national team will start their campaign against the Solomon Islands on October 10 in Suva at 7 p.m., followed by matches against Papua New Guinea on November 14 and New Caledonia on November 17, both to be held at the PNG Football Stadium.