The Fiji Football Association has issued a firm warning to local districts regarding possible penalties for not complying with the terms and conditions required for participating in various competitions.
This comes after a recent match in the Digicel Women’s Senior League between Navua and Lami, which was abandoned when Lami failed to field the minimum requirement of seven players. Navua started with the full complement of 11 players while Lami began with only seven. The match was interrupted towards the end of the first half following an injury to a Lami player, making it impossible for them to continue.
Competition and FIFA rules state that at least seven players must be present on the field for a match to take place. At the time of the abandonment, Navua was ahead with a score of 1-0.
Fiji FA CEO Mohammed Yusuf indicated that the association will await the referee’s report before deciding on any further actions. He emphasized, “The regulations are very clear. All districts have signed the regulations. Districts could face fines and may be brought before the competitions committee to explain why they did not have sufficient players and substitutes.”
This incident raises concerns for women’s football in Fiji, especially after the recent participation of the Junior Kulas in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia earlier this month. Currently, the Fiji women’s national team is ranked 72nd globally and third in Oceania, trailing behind New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.