Fiji Premier League Explained

Pixels:140
Country: Fiji
Confed:OFC
Teams:10
Relegation:Fiji Senior League
Levels:1
Confed Cup:OFC Champions League
Champions:Lautoka (7th title)
Most Champs:Ba (21 titles)
Tv:FBC[1]
Current:2024 Fiji Premier League

The Fiji Premier League or the FPL, also called Digicel Premier League for sponsorship reasons,[2] is the top division men's professional football league in Fiji. Contested by ten teams, it shares a promotion and relegation system with the Fiji Senior League (FSL). The League is controlled by the Fiji Football Association.

The league was founded as the Fiji National League in 1977 by the Fiji Football Association which was won by Ba. The club that has the most championships is also Ba with 21 titles.

History

Foundation (1977)

In 1977, the Fiji National League (FNL) was founded. The first ever season was won by Ba.

Sponsorship deals

Since 2016, the league has been called the Vodafone Premier League after a sponsorship deal with Vodafone Fiji.[3] On March 3, 2021, Digicel Fiji signed a 3 year deal to sponsor the league, effectively renaming the competition to the Digicel Premier League.[4]

Competition format

Competition

There are 10 clubs in the Fiji Premier League. During the course of a season, each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponent's home. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue decides rank.

Promotion and relegation

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Fiji Premier League and the Senior League. The last placed team in the Fiji Premier League are relegated to the Senior League, and the first placed team from the North and South zones of Senior League are promoted to the Fiji Premier League.

Format

From the inaugural 1977 season to the 2021 season, the Fiji Premier League had eight teams. However, since 2022, the league has had 10 teams.

Since 2016, the league has practiced promotion and relegation. Each season, the team that finishes last is relegated to the Senior League. The Senior League has two zones: the Vanua Levu Zone and the Viti Levu Zone. The highest-finishing clubs from each zone compete in a playoff match, the winner of which is promoted to the Premier League.

The season champion and runners-up both qualify for the OFC Champions League.

Clubs

Champions

!Club!Wins!Winning years!Longest Consecutive Wins
Ba211977, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 20192001 - 2006 (6)
Nadi81978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1998, 2000, 20151980 - 1982 (3)
Lautoka71985, 1988, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2021, 20232017 - 2018 (2)
Suva41996, 1997, 2014, 20201996 - 1997 (2)
Nadroga31989, 1990, 19931989 - 1990 (2)
Labasa21991, 2007
Rewa12022

League Championship (for Districts)

Ba FC

Suva FC

Nadi FC

Ba FC

Lautoka FC

Lautoka FC

Ba FC

Suva FC

Lautoka FC

Rewa FC

Lautoka FC

Previous winners

National Club Championship

Club Franchise League

Top goalscorers

YearBest scorersTeamGoals
2001 Lorima Batirerega7
20038
2006 Josaia Bukalidi Jr23
200717
2008bgcolor=mistyrose31
200912
2017 Joel Shelvin Prasad10
20188
201912
2020 Sairusi NalaubuSuva9
2021 Sairusi NalaubuLautoka9
2022 Sairusi NalaubuLautoka12
2023 Sairusi NalaubuLautoka19
Most time goalscorers:
Most goals by a player in a single season:

Multiple hat-tricks

RankCountry PlayerHat-tricks
1Sairusi Nalaubu2
2Brian Charitau1
Simione Damuni
Atkin Kaua
Merrill Nand
Junior Rocky
Mohammed Shazil
Azariah Soromon
Avinesh Suwamy
Saula Waqa
Christopher Wasasala

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Digicel Premier League live on TV . 3 February 2022 .
  2. News: Matairakula . Talei . 3 March 2021 . Fiji Football embarks on a new journey with Digicel . . 28 June 2022.
  3. Web site: February 13, 2016. Vodafone Fiji backs soccer league. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171009042655/https://www.newswire.com.fj/sports/soccer/vodafone-fiji-backs-soccer-league/. October 9, 2017. October 8, 2017. Newswire. en.
  4. Web site: Fiji Football embarks on a new journey with Digicel – FBC News .
  5. [Ba F.C.|Ba FC]