en Fiji Premier League

Fiji Premier League
Founded	1977; 48 years ago
Country	Fiji
Confederation	OFC
Number of clubs	10
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Fiji Senior League
Domestic cup(s)	FF Cup; Champion versus Champion
International cup(s)	OFC Champions League
Current champions	Rewa (2nd title) ; (2024)
Most championships	Ba (21 titles)
TV partners	FBC
Website	fijifootball.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

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

Current clubs

Tailevu

Rewa

Ba

Nadi

Lautoka

Nadroga

Labasa

Nasinu

Navua

Suva

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Location of the 2024 Digicel Premier League season.

Champions


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)

1977: Ba FC
1978: Nadi FC
1979: Ba FC
1980: Nadi FC
1981: Nadi FC
1982: Nadi FC
1983: Nadi FC
1984: Lautoka FC
1985: Nadi FC
1986: Ba FC
1987: Ba FC
1988: Lautoka FC
1989: Nadroga F.C.
1990: Nadroga F.C.
1991: Labasa FC
1992: Ba FC
1993: Nadroga F.C.
1994: Ba FC
1995: Ba FC
1996: Suva FC
1997: Suva FC
1998: Nadi FC
1999: Ba FC
2000: Nadi FC
2001: Ba FC
2002: Ba FC
2003: Ba FC
2004: Ba FC
2005: Ba FC
2006: Ba FC
2007: Labasa FC
2008: Ba FC
2009: Lautoka FC
2010: Ba FC^[5]
2011: Ba FC
2012: Ba FC
2013: Ba FC
2014: Suva FC
2015: Nadi FC
2016: Ba FC
2017: Lautoka FC
2018: Lautoka FC
2019: Ba FC
2020: Suva FC
2021: Lautoka FC
2022: Rewa FC
2023: Lautoka FC
2024: Rewa FC

Previous winners

National Club Championship

1986: Tanoa SC (Nadi)
1987–88: Not known
1989: Combine Stars SC (Suva) 1–0 Vunika (Labasa)
1990: Not known
1991: Ba FSC
1992: Greenstars 1–0 Ba FSC
1993: Lautoka General
1994–95: Not known
1996: Lautoka General Strikers
1997: Ba FSC
1998: Raymonds (Rewa) 1–1 Fiji Sugar Corporation (Raymonds on pens)
1999: Kiwi Sports (Labasa) 2–0 KK Nadi Blues
2000: Foodtown Warriors (Lautoka) 1–0 Nadi Eagles
2001–03: Not held
2003–04: Not known
2005: General Machinery (Lautoka) 1–0 Malolo (Nadi)
2006: General Machinery (Lautoka) 1–1 United (Rewa) (aet, 4–1 pen)
2007–08: Kriz Signs Uciwai (Nadi) 2–1 United (Rewa)

Club Franchise League

2005: 4R Electric Ltd (Ba)
2006: Nokia Eagles (Nadi)

Top goalscorers

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

Most time goalscorers

4 times
- Sairusi Nalaubu (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Most goals by a player in a single season

31 goals
- Roy Krishna (2008)

Multiple hat-tricks

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

References

^ "Digicel Premier League live on TV". 3 February 2022.
^ Matairakula, Talei (3 March 2021). "Fiji Football embarks on a new journey with Digicel". FCB News. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
^ "Vodafone Fiji backs soccer league". Newswire. 13 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
^ "Fiji Football embarks on a new journey with Digicel – FBC News".
^ 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]

External links

Fiji – List of Champions, RSSSF.com
Vodafone Premier League - Fiji Sun

[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.

[:0-4] "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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[4]

[5]

Fiji Premier League