The top eight teams from the Digicel Fiji Premier League points table have secured their places in the Super Premier Division of the FMF Inter-District Championship, scheduled to take place next month 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 compete in the Premier Division, alongside newly included teams Bua, Tavua, Lami, and Seaqaqa. The Senior Division will feature teams like Savusavu, Taveuni, Nadogo, Dreketi, Rakiraki, and Northland Tailevu.
The pool draws for the 2024 FMF Inter-District Championship will be held next Tuesday, October 1, at 11 AM at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva. The tournament is scheduled to run from October 15 to 20.
In other news, three new players have joined the national men’s football squad as they prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Oceania qualifiers. National football head coach Rob Sherman confirmed the additions 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 a 27-member squad ahead of the qualifiers, which kick off on October 10 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
National team manager Kartik Reddy stated that the new inclusions are aimed at bolstering the squad for a robust campaign in the qualifiers. “We aim to secure the 1.5 spots available to OFC for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Reddy expressed. The team will commence training on September 29 at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba, with the final 23-member squad to be revealed on October 5.
Veteran defender Remueru Tekiata and Muni Shivam Naidu have been ruled out due to work commitments. However, national team captain Roy Krishna is expected to join the squad on October 5 following his obligations with Odisha FC in the Indian Super League.
Fiji has been placed in Group A, competing against Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. They will begin their campaign 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, both at the PNG Football Stadium.