The top eight teams in the Digicel Fiji Premier League have secured their spots in the Super Premier Division of the FMF Inter-District Championship, set 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, along with Bua, Tavua, Lami, and Seaqaqa. The Senior Division will feature teams such as Savusavu, Taveuni, Nadogo, Dreketi, Rakiraki, and Northland Tailevu.
The draw for the pools of the 2024 FMF IDC is 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 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 announced that the new players include Leroy Jennings from Sydney United FC, Gabrieli Matanisiga from Wellington Olympic AFC, and Kavaia Rawaqa from Suva FC.
These players have been added to the 27-member squad ahead of the qualifiers, which will commence on October 10 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. National team manager Kartik Reddy stated that these additions aim to strengthen the team’s performance in the qualifiers.
“We are aiming to secure the 1.5 spots available for OFC for qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Reddy explained. The squad will begin their camp on September 29 at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba, with a final 23-member squad set to be announced on October 5.
Veteran defender Remueru Tekiata and Muni Shivam Naidu will miss the squad due to work commitments. Additionally, 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 drawn into Group A alongside Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. The national team will kick off 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 to be held at the PNG Football Stadium.