Pro league for football FIJI FA PLAN TO INVOLVE SIX FRANCHISES

THE Fiji Football Association is hopeful it will be able to kick start a professional league by 2024.

Teams to take part may include clubs from neighbouring Pacific nations.

According to Fiji Football Association CEO Mohammed Yusuf, the initial proposal was for a professional league for localbased franchises but interest from other nations may see an OFC Professional League take precedence.

“We expect a final decision on this by March next year and we are hoping to start the competition by 2024,” Yusuf said.

“Initially the plan was to start with Fiji teams only but neighbouring countries have shown interest so we might have a few outside teams.”

He highlighted the competition would be similar to the ALeague played in Australia.

“Three will be two from the west, two from the south and one from the north,” Yusuf said.

“We will have a bidding process where people will bid to buy the franchises.

“All these will be outlined once the league is approved.

An Oceania Football Confederation

taskforce was formed in 2019 with the sole purpose of determining the viability of a professional league in the Oceania region.

Since then, extensive research and analysis has been conducted into the formation

of

WORLD CUP

UPSETS

this competition, as well as a business case study.

The OFC has approved plans for the formation of the OFC Professional League during the OFC executive committee meeting in Doha, Qatar on November 19.

The formation of the OFC Professional League will support the OFC’s long-term goal of qualifying two teams to the FIFA World Cups in 2026-2027.

Picture: AP Picture: REUTERS Morocco’s Romain Saiss, right, reacts after teammate Abdelhamid Sabiri, not visible, scored a goal on Belgium’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, left, during the World Cup group F soccer match between Belgium and Morocco, at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar yesterday. Inset: Costa Rica’s Keysher Fuller celebrates scoring their first goal with Yeltsin Tejeda during their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match against Japan at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar yesterday.