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Football in Fiji is currently based on primary, secondary schools and local club competitions that feed into 23 district affiliates and onto the national age groups and national teams. Fiji football traces its origins to the organization of sports that was controlled by the British colonial administration. Major sports like athletics, soccer, rugby, union, hockey and cricket were organized and administered under European, Native Fijian and Indian leagues. French missionaries are credited with introducing soccer to Levuka in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Soccer was an important Saturday social activity with a number of Fijian teams competing for the prestigious Ricarnie Cup on a provincial basis. Some of the club teams that were formed included: Shamrock(Suva), Kadavu(Suva), Lomaiviti(Suva), Bau(Suva) and Ovalau (Levuka). Games were played on a regular basis with players playing barefoot with great speed, stamina and ball control, according to various anecdotal reports. Lautoka became the centre for Fijian soccer in the North-Western districts.

The Colonial Sugar Refinery with their sugar mills in Lautoka, Ba, Rakiraki and Labasa and locomotive stations and sector offices throughout the western halves of Viti and Vanua Levu provided much of the early infrastructure for all these sports. After 1910, association football teams on a district level by Europeans were formed largely as demanded by the occasion, comprising of players from the many rugby union sides that were present, particularly in Suva. The Reverend Brother Mark, a Marist missionary from New Zealand is believed to have been the first person to introduce soccer in Suva, especially to Indians in the 1920’s. Brother Mark’s presence led to the spread of the game especially around the central Suva area with Toorak as the base for social games on weekends.

Soccer flourished at the club level organized within districts. Individuals often took the initiative to form clubs. Two of these pioneer sides, Sunshine Sports from Suva and Sitare Hind from Rewa have often been credited with the beginning of soccer in Fiji on an organized basis from 1922. The one serious attempt at forming an association to organize in Fiji was by the Indian Reform League from 1926. The Indian Reform League, however, formed a localized rather than a national body to organize soccer in and around the Suva area in 1928.

The quest for a tournament culminated in the idea of an IDC tournament to form a national competition in 1938 to cater for the well established club soccer in various districts. This concept jump-started the organization and administration of soccer that developed into the governing body that is now known as the Fiji Football Association. The formation of the Fiji Indian Football Association was heralded as a historical event by many of the dignitaries at a historical event by many of the dignitaries at a post tournament function. The Fiji Times of October 8, 1938 had the following report:

This evening the most important event in Fiji’s soccer history will take place when the visiting delegates together with those of Suva, meet to form the controlling soccer football council for all of Fiji. This same council will make the draws for the fixtures under question. Notice of the draw will appear in the window of the hub by 8.30p.m. The meeting will be held at the offices of Messrs.A.S. Farebrother and Co at 8p.m. Mr.B.M.Janniff is the secretary pro-term.

After WWII sport was dominated by Fijians and Indo-Fijians especially team sports with mass appeal like rugby, football, netball, hockey and cricket. Primary and secondary teachers helped establish the forerunner to youth development programs by taking the initiative to establish district and national level inter-primary and inter-secondary soccer competitions. The Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) initiated school soccer competitions as early as 1939. In 1951 F Indian FA donated a trophy to be contested in a competition to be organized by the newly established Fiji Secondary Schools Soccer Association (1950).

The Fiji Football Association joined FIFA in 1963 and is today regarded as one of the premier national sporting bodies in Oceanic with a range of organized tournaments and development programs in place. Over the years a range of football tournaments that carry the unique three or four day football festival format has become popular with fans. Increased marketing and sponsorship sees football being played at the top level with players under contract and able to make a living from the game. Football in Fiji is regarded as among the two major sports along with rugby. Fiji FA has a national administrative centre in Suva and a Football academy in Ba with plans for similar centers in Fiji’s South and North. Fiji plays at various age group and national level in regional and international competitions for men and women. Soccer, perhaps more than any sport in Fiji brings ethnic Fijians and Indo-Fijians together as one.

No other sporting event captures the world’s imagination like FIFA World Cup ™. Ever since the first tentative competition in Uruguay in 1930, FIFA’s flagship has constantly grown in popularity and prestige. Seventeen years after the fall of the Berlin wall, a reunified Germany will throw open its doors to the world of football again. Germany 2006 will be a place where people from all around the world will be welcomed by friends, in the spirits of the striking slogan chosen by the organizers: “A time to make friends”.

The FIFA World Cup™ will take place in Germany between June 9th and July 9th, 2006. The places at this tournament will be divided up amongst the Confederation of FIFA. A total of 32 countries will participate at this event.

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