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Fiji Premier League

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Fiji Premier League
Founded1977; 47 years ago (1977)
Country Fiji
ConfederationOFC
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toFiji Senior League
Domestic cup(s)FF Cup
Champion versus Champion
International cup(s)OFC Champions League
Current championsRewa (2nd title)
(2024)
Most championshipsBa (21 titles)
TV partnersFBC[1]
Websitefijifootball.com.fj
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

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Foundation (1977)

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

Sponsorship deals

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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

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Competition

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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

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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

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Main article: Football in Fiji § League system

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

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Current clubs

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class=notpageimage|
Location of the 2024 Digicel Premier League season.

Champions

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Club Wins Winning years Longest Consecutive Wins
Ba 21 1977, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019 2001 - 2006 (6)
Nadi 9 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1998, 2000, 2015 1980 - 1983 (4)
Lautoka 7 1984, 1988, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023 2017 - 2018 (2)
Suva 4 1996, 1997, 2014, 2020 1996 - 1997 (2)
Nadroga 3 1989, 1990, 1993 1989 - 1990 (2)
Labasa 2 1991, 2007
Rewa 2 2022, 2024

League Championship (for Districts)

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Previous winners

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National Club Championship

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Club Franchise League

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Top goalscorers

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Year Best scorers Team Goals
2001 Fiji Lorima Batirerega Ba FC 7
2003 Fiji Keni Doidoi Ba FC 8
2006 Fiji Josaia Bukalidi Jr Ba FC 23
2007 Fiji Maciu Dunadamu Labasa FC 17
2008 Fiji Roy Krishna Labasa FC 31
2009 Fiji Keni Doidoi Lautoka FC 12
2017 Fiji Joel Shelvin Prasad Labasa FC 10
2018 Fiji Rusiate Matarerega Nadi FC 8
2019 Fiji Samuela Drudru Lautoka FC 12
2020 Fiji Sairusi Nalaubu Suva 9
2021 Fiji Sairusi Nalaubu Lautoka 9
2022 Fiji Sairusi Nalaubu Lautoka 12
2023 Fiji Sairusi Nalaubu Lautoka 19
2024 Fiji Merrill Nand Suva 11
Most time goalscorers
Most goals by a player in a single season

Multiple hat-tricks

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Rank Country Player Hat-tricks
1 Fiji Sairusi Nalaubu 2
2 Fiji Brian Charitau 1
Fiji Simione Damuni
Solomon Islands Atkin Kaua
Fiji Merrill Nand
Solomon Islands Junior Rocky
Fiji Mohammed Shazil
Vanuatu Azariah Soromon
Fiji Avinesh Suwamy
Fiji Saula Waqa
Fiji Christopher Wasasala

References

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  1. ^ "Digicel Premier League live on TV". 3 February 2022.
  2. ^ Matairakula, Talei (3 March 2021). "Fiji Football embarks on a new journey with Digicel". FCB News. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Vodafone Fiji backs soccer league". Newswire. 13 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Fiji Football embarks on a new journey with Digicel – FBC News".
  5. ^ Ba FC won the league and finished top of the points table, but second-placed Lautoka FC were awarded the title on Mar 11, 2011, after having a protest pertaining to their match on May 8, 2010 against Rewa (which finished 1–1) ruled in their favour. [1] But the decision was overruled in July 2011, and Ba was declared the winner. [2]
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