New FACT Format

Fiji Football Council endorses two major changes

Two major decisions were endorsed during the Fiji Football Association’s Council meeting in Suva on Sunday. Speaking to SUNsports yesterday Fiji FA chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf said endorsements were on a new format to be adopted during the Vodafone Fiji FACT Tournament in November.

And the other is the establishing for the Football Humanity Fund, which was the initiative of Fiji FA president Rajesh Patel and per was prepared by Yusuf.

“Now we are working on the implementation of all the decisions that were endorsed by the Council,” Yusuf said.

Fiji FACT

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Yusuf said the Council has approved for eight teams to play in the tournament.

“This was after we had earlier indicated that only six teams will play,” he said.

The CEO indicated that the first week of the tournament, which is on November 21-22 will be played in Viti Levu.

“There will double-headers (two matches each) at the ANZ Stadium in Suva and Churchill Park in Lautoka.

Yusuf said the second weekend of the Fiji FACT would be played at Subrail Park in Labasa from November 25-29.

The competition will start on Wednesday, November 25, and will continue right to Sunday, November 29.

Yusuf said an added attraction to the Fiji FACT, would be the involvement of the Top Five senior division teams in Vanua Levu.

“These senior division teams will be playing in a competition. “They’ll be playing in between the major games.

“Fiji FA is going to fork out the money for the senior division teams and the prize money as well for the winning team and runners

Humanity Fund

The Football Humanity Fund is going to be a registered entity, which will have an independent executives.

The purpose of the Fund is to assist the country’s football family during times of:

Pandemic declared by the World Health Organisation: $80,000 to be allocated

Government declared natural disasters like Cyclone and Tsunami: $30,000 to be allocated.

Bushfires: $30,000 to be allocated.

Yusuf said they have looked at ways to finance the Fund and the major ones are:

■ $10,000 from the nett takings of each three tournaments that are played in a year. That is $30,000 annually.

From any major sponsorships, Fiji FA gets, 2 per cent is directed to the Fund.

He indicated that if nothing drastic happens in the next 10 years, then the Fund would accumulate about $600,000.

“With its independent executives they could set-up registered entities to generate revenue for the Fund but it will still continue on with its core functions,” Yusuf added.