For the first time, the country is now on the verge of professional football.

The Fiji Football Association board is meeting in Nadi on Sunday, to finalise plans for a team to represent Fiji in the OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Pro League competition.

The competition gets underway on January 2026. It will run for four months.

Fiji FA chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf yesterday said the Pro League competition would be played annually.

“The move now is have eight or more professional football teams in the OFC Pro League,” he said.

“Fiji is going to bid for two teams in the Pro League. Apart from the Pacific island teams of Solomons, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Tahiti and New Zealand there have been other interests as well.”

Yusuf said Football Australia wanted to field a team in the OFC Pro League as well as a team from Hawaii.

“OFC’s consideration of an Australian based club reflects the strong Pacific com-munities across Australia and the ease of travel access to Pacific nations,” stated the OFC website.

The proposed move would bring “significant benefits, including increased visibility and market reach, enhanced competitive standards, stronger economic and cultural links, and new development path-ways for Pacific players.

“An Australian team would also help strengthen regional ties, inspire new partnership opportunities, and contribute to the growth of football across Oceania.”

On Tuesday, Football Australia and OFC had a meeting at the Rydges South Bank Hotel in Brisbane with interested parties who wanted to learn about the concept of the OFC Pro League.

“The matches will be played home and away. So our teams will be playing in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and other Pacific islands. We’ll also be hosting our matches here in Fiji,” Yusuf said.

He indicated that Fiji FA would be holding a meeting in December with all major companies in the country.

“This is to discuss about the Pro League concept and how the companies could form a consortium to own the two teams we are bidding for.

“The consortium of company will own and run the team’s operations. They’ll have their board and CEO. They’ll employ their coaches who are certified, public relations team and contract between 25 to 30 players. The Pro League rules that each club can hire four overseas or foreign players in their squad. Even there is a great opportunity for the clubs to be listed on the stock exchange.”

Yusuf said the franchise should run for four years and at the start all broadcast revenue would go to OFC.

“There’ll be subsidies with the airlines due to the travelling and to run a club during a year could come to around $1 million.”

He indicated the model is similar to the Fijian Drua franchise club, which participates in the Super Rugby Pacific competition

“As soon as the (Fiji FA) board meets, I’ll take our proposal to the Minister for Youth and Sports to endorse Government’s support,” Yusuf added.

The OFC claims its new Pro League is a “forward-thinking initiative designed to propel football in Oceania to new heights” and will enhance development as the body looks to secure two berths at the 2026 World Cup.

Oceania has been granted a guaranteed place at the finals for the first time following the expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 nations, with a possible second berth available via a series of inter confederation playoffs.

Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj