Talks begin for Cricket Fiji’s multi-sport facility

Securing funding and facilities for Cricket Fiji was the biggest challenge this year.

Chief executive officer Sitiveni Rokoro said work has begun on identifying land for a new multi-sport facility that Cricket Fiji could call its own. 

The association faced rising costs at Suva’s Albert Park, which was the only available facility.

Rokoro said international achievements, domestic expansion and the need for stronger facilities were highlighted this year. 

“Funding and facilities were our biggest challenges. Without our own ground, it was very difficult to plan,” Rokoro said. 

He said cricket development expanded into new areas in Macuata, Cakaudrove, Lautoka, and Naitasiri, where primary school competitions began.

Rokoro said he was happy with the growth of the sport. 

This included the participation of the national women’s side in the East Asia-Pacific World Cup qualifier.

He added another challenge was player eligibility where overseas-based Fijians needed citizenship and residency to qualify under ICC (International Cricket Council) rules. 

“The process of getting a Fijian passport takes years. This made it hard to bring in players quickly,” Rokoro said. 

Beyond cricket, the “Cricket for Good” programme continued to deliver life skills education in communities. 

He said that the programme would expand to address issues such as gender-based violence, drugs, and the impact of social media.

Rokoro added while 2025 brought achievements, the future depended on stronger facilities and support. 

“We were preparing for the next phase of our strategic plan. We wanted to build a foundation for 2027 to 2031,” he added.