238:. A Friday and Saturday league was organised at the Veitari Grounds and teams that took part were Namoli, Vitogo, Vakabuli, Saru, Yalobi (from Waya), Kadavu, Vanua Levu and Topline. The Namoli Native Soccer Club won the league nine consecutive seasons (1941 and 1949). A prominent member of the club was Ratu Meli Qoro, who also acted as an official and referee at tournaments. He had learnt to play football at the local Methodist Mission Primary school. In the northern division, football was played between the Wainikoro and Waibula District Fijian Schools in 1938.
285:
adopted a two tier system where Ba, Labasa, Lautoka, Nadi, Rakiraki, Rewa, Sigatoka and Suva were placed in division A and Levuka, Tailevu-Naitasiri, Tailevu North, Savusavu, Taveuni and Navua were placed in division B. Division B competed for the Fiji
Football Association Cup, won for the first time by Levuka. At the end of the season there were promotion-relegation matches. In 1969 the inter-district football tournament was held in
268:
Association in 1934. Initially there were two teams, Namoli Sports and
Service. Levuka had an organised local competition in 1932 and these clubs formed the Levuka Soccer Association in 1938. The Nadi Soccer Association was formed in 1937 with four teams: Koronubu, Sabeto, Bhartiya and Vutualevu. From 1940 the football playing districts of the western division, played for the Caine's Cup.
741:
1145:
316:
In 1980, the Fiji
Football Association acquired its own building, which is being used as an administration centre. For the first time since 1938, the inter-district football tournament was not held in 1987. This was due to uncertainties following the coup and restrictions on playing football on
284:
Football in Fiji was dominated by the Ba team in the sixties. In the sixties Ba won the inter-district football tournament five successive times, the last three consecutively (1966 to 19680. Ba also won the North-west football tournament and the Sugar Cup. In 1968, the Fiji
Football Association
280:
held in Suva in 1963. The opening up of football to all races saw teams like Ba immediately benefiting from the new arrangement. Football in Ba had long enjoyed support from the Fijian community and Ba soon had some good and famous
Fijians playing in its team. Suva's multiracial population also
267:
Rewa started its own league in 1928 and the Rewa United
Football Club was formed to take part in the Vriddhi Cup Tournament. The other team from Rewa was the Dilkusha Excelsior. The local league had four teams in 1940. In Lautoka, John Bairangi led the formation of the Lautoka Soccer Football
296:
In the 1970s, the association was able to convince town councils to build permanent seating structures and grounds for football and by the late nineties all A division teams, except two had such facilities. From 1976 pool play was introduced into the inter-district football tournament.
218:
Fijian teams started playing competitive football in 1924. The first Fijian Inter-District
Tournament was played at Nasau Park, Levuka, during celebrations marking the golden jubilee of Cession in 1924. Teams played for the Ricarnie Cup which was won by the Sawani team from
197:
and Levuka. In 1910, a team representing Suva played a match against a team representing
Nausori. Crew of visiting naval ships also entertained themselves with friendly games of football with local teams. In 1910 a team from Suva played a game against a team from
188:
where significant numbers of sports enthusiasts could congregate and socialise with a friendly game. Missionaries, who established schools in Fiji, introduced football as part of the school program and football was being played in schools as early as 1889. The
259:. Gradually other teams, like Morning Star, Nausori Central, Vuci and Wainibokasi, were established in Rewa and played at the Dilkusha Grounds. There were also four teams in Suva who played at the Marist Brothers School grounds in Toorak.
578:
was founded. This league did not have promotion or relegation. In 2016, the
National League was renamed the Premier League and a second division, the Senior League, was introduced to allow promotion and relegation.
320:
Football is now well established in Fiji with people of all races taking part. Facilities for players have been greatly improved and the Fiji national side regularly takes part in international tournaments.
1015:
227:
won the cup. Players played the game barefoot and relied on speed and stamina. Other teams to compete in the tournament were
Shamrock from Suva, Kadavu (from Suva), Lomaiviti (from Suva) and
1361:
241:
The success of Fijians at rugby, tempered their enthusiasm for football and the physical nature of rugby appealed to them and gradually organized football amongst the Fijians died out.
964:
1507:
621:
In 2021, the first ever professional women's football leagues in Fiji were founded. They operate with a promotion and relegation system, similar to the men's structure.
276:
In August 1961,the Fiji Football Association was formed which was a truly multiracial and national body. With this new status Fiji's football team participated in first
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1011:
1376:
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and organised games with students from other schools. As the students grew up and left school, they started playing football socially on their own.
81:
1406:
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1287:
1177:
1041:
66:
1497:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1472:
956:
446:
Throughout history, the Fijian football league system has changed. Currently, Fiji has two divisions in professional men's football: the
1386:
317:
Sundays. 1988 was the golden jubilee year for the association as football in Fiji learnt to perform under the new post-coup conditions.
193:
Soccer Football Club was formed in 1905, made up of European employees of the Government and businesses and similar clubs existed in
1356:
1080:
1512:
1292:
1371:
1111:
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1416:
1302:
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397:
1502:
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436:
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1328:
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165:
62:
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666:
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641:
1543:
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1119:
387:
161:
50:
1269:
1265:
455:
369:
751:
244:
Schools run by missionaries, also taught students to play football. Brother Mark, a Marist missionary from
1321:
1261:
599:
575:
181:
466:
The current Fijian football league system has been used since 2016, when the Senior League was created.
796:
765:
729:
362:
123:
1037:
1217:
486:
447:
407:
306:
277:
169:
97:
249:
1233:
1012:"Fiji soccer drops to 191, Fiji FA claims world ranking not a true indicatior of soccer standard"
511:
451:
417:
330:
220:
207:
102:
841:
1056:
821:
146:
1076:
935:
715:
17:
1101:
281:
provided early opportunity for people of other races to join the football competitions.
127:
1537:
228:
801:
782:
770:
224:
1313:
940:
923:
990:
880:
855:
805:
245:
901:
740:
734:
202:
and won 3 goals to 1. In 1914, a team from Suva played against a team from
924:"Fiji soccer history 1980–1989: A philosophical and sociological analysis"
759:
310:
235:
194:
131:
119:
957:"The Forgotten Story of ... Australia's defeat to Fiji - Vince Rugari"
790:
427:
286:
185:
922:
James, Kieran; Nadan, Yogesh (January 1, 2019). Wade, Alex (ed.).
305:
In 1977, Fiji's top-tier football league was formed which was the
141:
1144:
723:
352:
290:
256:
190:
180:
Football started to be played in Fiji ever since the arrival of
156:
1317:
1115:
313:. For years, there was no promotion and relegation system.
172:. The national team has had little international success.
248:
introduced football to Marist Brothers Indian School in
234:
Meanwhile, football was also being played by Fijians in
623:
581:
468:
333:
was formed to make a promotion and relegation system.
1453:
1430:
1349:
1246:
1226:
1210:
1201:
1165:
987:"Fiji FA records $ 30,000 loss - Fiji Times Online"
423:
413:
403:
393:
383:
378:
368:
358:
348:
110:
88:
72:
56:
44:
36:
31:
856:"Women's soccer needs support - Fiji Times Online"
902:"Fiji soccer drops further - Fiji Times Online"
255:In 1922, the Sunshine Club was established in
1329:
1127:
8:
877:"Living in the Dark Age - Fiji Times Online"
341:
1061:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
879:. Fijitimes.com. 2008-12-22. Archived from
1336:
1322:
1314:
1207:
1134:
1120:
1112:
688:
939:
184:in Fiji and establishment of towns like
82:Fiji Football Association Cup Tournament
833:
1054:
340:
272:Formation of Fiji Football Association
28:
842:"Rugby vs Soccer vs Football in Fiji"
7:
309:. The first ever season was won by
293:won the trophy for the first time.
967:from the original on 25 March 2015
955:Rugari, Vince (10 November 2014).
458:exists between the two divisions.
164:. The association administers the
25:
301:Formation of National Fiji League
263:Football associations around Fiji
1143:
975:– via www.theguardian.com.
739:
1344:Association football in Oceania
1083:from the original on 2016-03-04
1044:from the original on 2013-12-13
1036:Mon Oct 28, 2013 (2013-10-28).
1018:from the original on 2016-03-03
989:. Fijitimes.com. Archived from
325:Formation of Fiji Senior League
1362:Federated States of Micronesia
1079:. Fijisun.com.fj. 2013-11-30.
1:
941:10.1080/23311983.2019.1627021
210:, and won by 2 goals to nil.
928:Cogent Arts & Humanities
437:Association football in Fiji
1254:Inter-District Championship
904:. Fijitimes.com. 2007-11-25
570:Previous system (1977–2016)
462:Current system (since 2016)
343:Fiji football league system
18:History of football in Fiji
1560:
667:Fiji Women's Senior League
112:International competitions
1278:
1159:Fiji Football Association
1156:
1102:"Women's football league"
685:Football stadiums in Fiji
664:
659:
642:Fiji Women's Super League
639:
616:
509:
504:
484:
474:
433:
388:Fiji Football Association
162:Fiji Football Association
117:
95:
79:
51:Fiji Football Association
1508:Northern Mariana Islands
1270:Girmit Soccer Tournament
1266:Champion versus Champion
1077:"$ 5m boost for Fiji FA"
456:promotion and relegation
370:Promotion and relegation
1473:Cocos (Keeling) Islands
672:12 clubs (from 4 zones)
517:10 clubs, 2 in playoffs
289:for the first time and
1262:Fiji FA Cup Tournament
223:. The following year,
214:Native Fijian football
166:national football team
1456:and other territories
1014:. Fijiworldnews.com.
74:National competitions
67:women's national team
1258:Battle of the Giants
797:Association football
766:Association football
730:Association football
600:Fiji National League
363:Association football
307:National Fiji League
154:) in the country of
124:OFC Champions League
1293:Trophies and awards
1218:Fiji Premier League
1203:League competitions
487:Fiji Premier League
345:
278:South Pacific Games
150:(commonly known as
63:men's national team
1234:Fiji Senior League
512:Fiji Senior League
331:Fiji Senior League
1531:
1530:
1523:Wallis and Futuna
1431:Associated states
1311:
1310:
1242:
1241:
822:Lists of stadiums
813:
812:
682:
681:
617:Women's structure
614:
613:
567:
566:
444:
443:
138:
137:
90:Club competitions
16:(Redirected from
1551:
1544:Football in Fiji
1513:Pitcairn Islands
1483:French Polynesia
1468:Christmas Island
1397:Papua New Guinea
1377:Marshall Islands
1350:Sovereign states
1338:
1331:
1324:
1315:
1247:Cup competitions
1208:
1150:Football in Fiji
1148:
1147:
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891:
889:
888:
873:
867:
866:
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863:
852:
846:
845:
838:
743:
716:HFC Bank Stadium
689:
624:
582:
469:
440:
346:
344:
59:
58:National team(s)
47:
32:Football in Fiji
29:
21:
1559:
1558:
1554:
1553:
1552:
1550:
1549:
1548:
1534:
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1532:
1527:
1455:
1449:
1432:
1426:
1407:Solomon Islands
1345:
1342:
1312:
1307:
1274:
1238:
1222:
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1161:
1152:
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1104:. 2 March 2021.
1100:
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861:
859:
858:. Fijitimes.com
854:
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645:
619:
608:
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603:
576:National League
572:
561:
557:
553:
543:
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532:Vanua Levu Zone
523:
519:
515:
496:
493:
490:
464:
434:
424:Cup competition
414:Second division
379:National system
342:
339:
327:
303:
274:
265:
231:(from Levuka).
216:
178:
168:as well as the
134:
130:
126:
122:
113:
106:
101:
91:
84:
75:
65:
57:
45:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1520:
1515:
1510:
1505:
1503:Norfolk Island
1500:
1495:
1490:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
1463:American Samoa
1459:
1457:
1451:
1450:
1448:
1447:
1442:
1436:
1434:
1433:of New Zealand
1428:
1427:
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1414:
1409:
1404:
1399:
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1221:
1220:
1214:
1212:
1205:
1199:
1198:
1196:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1183:Olympic (U-23)
1180:
1175:
1169:
1167:
1166:National teams
1163:
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1157:
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1153:
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1116:
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1040:. Fbc.com.fj.
1028:
1003:
978:
947:
934:(1): 1627021.
914:
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847:
844:. 29 May 2018.
832:
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811:
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762:
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752:Churchill Park
749:
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721:
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550:Viti Levu Zone
546:
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502:
501:
483:
477:
476:
473:
463:
460:
454:. A system of
448:Premier League
442:
441:
431:
430:
425:
421:
420:
415:
411:
410:
408:Premier League
405:
401:
400:
395:
391:
390:
385:
381:
380:
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372:
366:
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350:
338:
335:
326:
323:
302:
299:
273:
270:
264:
261:
215:
212:
177:
174:
160:is run by the
136:
135:
128:FIFA World Cup
118:
115:
114:
111:
108:
107:
96:
93:
92:
89:
86:
85:
80:
77:
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73:
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69:
60:
54:
53:
48:
46:Governing body
42:
41:
38:
34:
33:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1556:
1545:
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1539:
1524:
1521:
1519:
1516:
1514:
1511:
1509:
1506:
1504:
1501:
1499:
1498:New Caledonia
1496:
1494:
1491:
1489:
1486:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1478:Easter Island
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1460:
1458:
1452:
1446:
1443:
1441:
1438:
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1435:
1429:
1423:
1420:
1418:
1415:
1413:
1410:
1408:
1405:
1403:
1400:
1398:
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1390:
1388:
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1378:
1375:
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1370:
1368:
1365:
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1360:
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1327:
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1320:
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1316:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
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1286:
1284:
1281:
1280:
1277:
1271:
1267:
1263:
1259:
1255:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1245:
1235:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1225:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1200:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1170:
1168:
1164:
1160:
1155:
1151:
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1137:
1132:
1130:
1125:
1123:
1118:
1117:
1114:
1103:
1097:
1094:
1082:
1078:
1072:
1069:
1064:
1058:
1043:
1039:
1032:
1029:
1017:
1013:
1007:
1004:
993:on 2013-12-12
992:
988:
982:
979:
966:
962:
958:
951:
948:
942:
937:
933:
929:
925:
918:
915:
903:
897:
894:
883:on 2013-12-12
882:
878:
872:
869:
857:
851:
848:
843:
837:
834:
827:
823:
820:
819:
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668:
662:
658:
655:
650:
644:
643:
637:
634:
633:
629:
626:
625:
622:
610:
609:no relegation
602:
601:
597:
595:
592:
591:
587:
584:
583:
580:
577:
574:In 1977, the
569:
563:
562:no relegation
560:1 to playoffs
556:
552:
551:
547:
545:
544:no relegation
542:1 to playoffs
538:
534:
533:
529:
528:
525:
524:no relegation
518:
514:
513:
507:
503:
500:
495:
489:
488:
482:
479:
478:
471:
470:
467:
461:
459:
457:
453:
452:Senior League
449:
439:
438:
432:
429:
426:
422:
419:
418:Senior League
416:
412:
409:
406:
402:
399:
396:
394:Confederation
392:
389:
386:
382:
377:
373:
371:
367:
364:
361:
357:
354:
351:
347:
337:League system
336:
334:
332:
329:In 2016, the
324:
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125:
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116:
109:
104:
99:
94:
87:
83:
78:
71:
68:
64:
61:
55:
52:
49:
43:
39:
35:
30:
27:
19:
1454:Dependencies
1440:Cook Islands
1288:Competitions
1149:
1096:
1085:. Retrieved
1071:
1046:. Retrieved
1031:
1020:. Retrieved
1006:
995:. Retrieved
991:the original
981:
969:. Retrieved
961:The Guardian
960:
950:
931:
927:
917:
906:. Retrieved
896:
885:. Retrieved
881:the original
871:
860:. Retrieved
850:
836:
802:Dreketi F.C.
795:
783:Subrail Park
771:Lautoka F.C.
764:
728:
676:
671:
665:
660:
653:
649:no promotion
646:
640:
635:
620:
607:no promotion
604:
598:
593:
573:
559:
554:
549:
548:
541:
536:
531:
530:
521:
516:
510:
505:
498:
494:no promotion
491:
485:
480:
465:
445:
435:
404:Top division
328:
319:
315:
304:
295:
283:
275:
266:
254:
250:Toorak, Suva
243:
240:
233:
217:
203:
200:HMS Powerful
199:
179:
155:
151:
145:
139:
26:
1387:New Zealand
806:Labasa F.C.
246:New Zealand
208:Albert Park
1193:men's U-17
1188:men's U-20
1087:2013-12-09
1048:2013-12-09
1038:"FBC News"
1022:2013-12-09
997:2013-12-09
971:1 December
908:2013-12-04
887:2013-12-04
862:2013-12-04
828:References
654:relegate 1
499:relegate 1
384:Federation
105:(2nd tier)
100:(1st tier)
1357:Australia
735:Suva F.C.
677:promote 1
522:promote 1
221:Naitasiri
204:HMS Torch
182:Europeans
1538:Category
1372:Kiribati
1081:Archived
1057:cite web
1042:Archived
1016:Archived
965:Archived
816:See also
698:Capacity
492:10 clubs
450:and the
147:football
1518:Tokelau
1422:Vanuatu
1303:Records
1298:History
1227:Level 2
1211:Level 1
760:Lautoka
695:Stadium
647:6 clubs
630:League
605:8 clubs
588:League
555:4 clubs
537:6 clubs
475:League
349:Country
236:Lautoka
195:Nausori
176:History
132:OFC Cup
120:OFC Cup
37:Country
1493:Hawaii
1417:Tuvalu
1283:Venues
791:Labasa
787:10,000
756:10,000
720:15,000
707:Image
627:Level
585:Level
472:Level
428:FF Cup
287:Labasa
229:Ovalau
186:Levuka
152:soccer
1412:Tonga
1402:Samoa
1392:Palau
1382:Nauru
1178:women
359:Sport
206:, at
142:sport
1488:Guam
1445:Niue
1367:Fiji
1063:link
973:2017
724:Suva
704:Club
701:City
353:Fiji
291:Nadi
257:Suva
191:Suva
157:Fiji
140:The
40:Fiji
1173:men
936:doi
398:OFC
374:Yes
225:Bau
170:FPL
144:of
103:FSL
98:FPL
1540::
1268:-
1264:-
1260:-
1256:-
1059:}}
1055:{{
963:.
959:.
930:.
926:.
804:,
675:↑
652:↓
558:↑
540:↑
520:↑
497:↓
311:Ba
1337:e
1330:t
1323:v
1135:e
1128:t
1121:v
1090:.
1065:)
1051:.
1025:.
1000:.
944:.
938::
932:6
911:.
890:.
865:.
799::
779:3
768::
748:2
732::
712:1
692:#
661:2
636:1
594:1
506:2
481:1
20:)
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