Fiji FA plans six-team pro league

The Fiji FA professional league is scheduled to kick off after the 2027 Inter District Championship, with six franchise teams set to compete.

Fiji Football Association chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf said three teams would be based in the Western Division, two in the South and one in the North.

“We will be putting out a paper in the process where teams will bid to get a Fiji FA licence for six franchise leagues,” Yusuf said.

The league is expected to run from after the IDC until Christmas or New Year, with matches played on Wednesdays and weekends.

“We’ll have fully televised matches, everybody will play each other, and then we’ll come to the top two; we’ll go and play the final,” he said.

Yusuf said the league would provide greater opportunities for players and strengthen the local football structure.

“Boys coming out of Bula FC can have continuity to play in the local professional league in a highly competitive manner,” he said.

The franchises will be privately owned, with owners expected to appoint professional coaches, develop team structures and manage merchandising.

Yusuf said the proposal would be tabled at the Fiji FA council meeting in November for discussion and approval.