Nadroga and Nasinu will join Tailevu/Naitasiri in the premier division this season.

Fiji Football Association president Rajesh Patel yesterday confirmed that 10 teams was approved by the Fiji FA council to play in the 20-week competition of the Digicel Premier League 2022.

Patel has also confirmed that there will be no spectators when the Digicel Premier League kicks off on February 5.

Fiji FA hopes to finish the season by the first week of September.

“We have just completed our council meeting virtually and decision have been made there will be a 10 team premier league. This has been passed by council,” Patel said.

“We have increased the number of matches, we are yet to decide on the four rounds, the ground availability with a closed stadium and no fans and everything according to COVID protocols.

“And also the hosting rights. We have funding from Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). This is to assist districts this year to host matches. Districts will have to apply for the funding by sending us the invoice. This is because they will be closed games and there will be no income.”

Fiji FA chief executive officer, Mohammed Yusuf said discussions are underway regarding Labasa having all their games played in Suva.

“We are having talks with Fiji National Sports Commission and the health ministry – for provisions under strict control for the Labasa team to have their matches played in Viti Levu,” Yusuf said.

“We are looking at possibilities if they can be allowed to fly in, stay in a bubble, play the match and fly back to Labasa.”

Yusuf added that there will be no Champion versus Champions series (CVC) this year.

Tournaments still on their calendar of events include: Digicel Fiji FACT to be held at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka from May 25-27, Battle of Giants at Lautoka’s Churchill Park in August and the Courts Inter-District Championship in October at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.

“We will still have eight teams in the tournament; the host and the top seven teams in the league at that point in time will play,” Yusuf said.

“In the senior division are four teams in Viti Levu which will play three rounds of home and away while the six teams in Vanua Levu that will play two rounds.

“The winner from both divisions will have a playoff and whoever wins will have an automatic promotion to the premier division in 2023.”

Broadcasting rights for both television companies, Fiji TV and the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation are also in discsussion.

Meanwhile the national training squad march into camp today under strict COVID-19 bubble restrictions at the FIJI FA academy in Ba.

The Bula boys will open their campaign against New Caledonia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, to be played in Qatar.

The fixtures for the Oceania qualifiers have been released by FIFA with matches starting on March 17.

Their first match is on March 18 against New Caledonia, New Zealand on March 21 then Papua New Guinea for their final pool match on March 24.

English based midfielder Peter Ravai joins the training squad today.

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