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RNZ News
an hour ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Fiji to compete in King's Cup in Thailand
Fiji FA CEO says the national men's team will play two matches against Iraq and Hong Kong on 4 September and 7 September. Photo: OFC via phototek / Shane Wenzlick The Fiji national men's football team has been invited to compete in the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) 2025 King's Cup tournament, the Fiji Football Association chief executive has confirmed. Speaking to RNZ Pacific, Mohammed Yusuf said four teams have been locked in for the 51st edition of the tournament: Fiji, Thailand, Iraq and Hong Kong. The event will be held during the FIFA International Match Window from 1 to 9 September. Yusuf said Fiji will play two matches against Iraq and Hong Kong on 4 September and 7 September. He said Fiji FA's focus now is on finding a head coach, after incumbent Rob Sherman departed by mutual agreement this week. Sherman coached Fiji during the OFC 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where the side failed to finish in the top two. Rob Sherman stepped down as Fiji men's team head coach this week. Photo: Screenshot/Fiji FA. New Zealand won that Oceania spot, while runner-up New Caledonia still has a chance of qualifying through a play-off round. Yusuf said the King's Cup tournament will be a good test for the Fijians, as they kick off their campaign for the next round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Fiji is the lowest-ranked team among the four participating nations, sitting at 150th position out of 210 in the FIFA rankings. Iraq, which won the title two years ago, is ranked 58th in the world. Thailand is ranked 102nd, while Hong Kong is three places above Fiji at 147th. Thailand won the tournament in Songkhla last year, after defeating Syria 2-1 in the final.
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Group B Teams Finalise Preparations For OFC Women's Nations Cup
With eight overseas-based players in her squad, Fiji head coach Angeline Chua is confident her team has what it takes to lift the trophy at the OFC Women's Nations Cup 2025, which kicks off tomorrow in Fiji. Group B teams, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, are putting the finishing touches on their preparations ahead of their opening matches on Saturday at Suva's HFC Bank Stadium. At this morning's pre-tournament media conference, held at the Fiji FA headquarters, Chua spoke about the pride and motivation of playing in front of a home crowd. 'In Fiji, we love sports, and we love to host. It's so important for the players to have their families and fans there supporting them,' said Chua. 'Playing at home gives us a unique advantage, and we're determined to make the most of it.' Chua also reflected on the importance of Fiji's recent international friendlies against Papua New Guinea. 'Those matches were crucial for our development. It's tough for Oceania teams to get regular matches during FIFA windows, unlike other regions where countries are closer together. But international exposure is vital if we want to perform on the bigger stage,' she said. 'Travelling to PNG and coming away with positive results gave us belief and helped us assess where we stand ahead of this tournament.' Solomon Islands coach Moses Toata is overseeing a squad featuring several players from Henderson Eels, who reached the semi-finals of the OFC Women's Champions League in Tahiti in May. 'We're excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to test ourselves against the best in the region,' said Toata. 'Preparation has gone well, but we need to stay focused – especially for our opening match against Fiji.' Tonga head coach Kilifi Uele, a seasoned figure in the Pacific football scene, has blended local talent with a handful of US-based players in a youthful squad. 'This is one of the youngest senior teams we've fielded, many are from the U-19 side that qualified for the OFC U-19 Women's Championship for the first time,' said Uele. 'We also have eight overseas players joining us, which is a big boost. Our goal is to reach the semi-finals.' Vanuatu, guided by Jean-Robert Yelou, enter the tournament with quiet confidence after a focused domestic build-up in Port Vila. Several players hail from the Penama Tigers, late withdrawals from May's OFC Women's Champions League, and others from the U-19 national side. 'Our preparation has had its challenges, but the women's league is back up and running, and there's growing commitment at home,' Yelou said. 'We're excited to show what we can do.' Beyond regional pride, the OFC Women's Nations Cup carries additional importance: valuable FIFA ranking points are at stake, which will influence seeding for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 Oceania Qualifiers, beginning in the Cook Islands later this year. Group A action kicks off tomorrow in Lautoka, with Cook Islands facing Tahiti in the tournament opener at Churchill Park, followed by defending champions Papua New Guinea taking on Samoa.
RNZ News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Fiji Football against election of leader with criminal conviction
The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland Photo: AFP The Fiji Football Association (FA) says it does not condone anyone with criminal convictions being part of their leadership set-up. Chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf said in a media statement on Saturday that the controversial election of Aiyaz Mohammed Musa Umarji as vice-president west, during the Fiji FA Congress on 30 May in Suva, was not according to their laws. He said article 46(6) of the Fiji FA statutes prohibits individuals previously found guilty of a criminal offence from holding executive office. But according to the Football Association statement, Umarji is challenging this in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He was sentenced in August 2023 to four years in prison but his jail time was reduced by six months after an appeal. He was released last October and deported home. He argues his guilty plea, conviction and three-year and six-month imprisonment in New Zealand - on three counts of importing Class B controlled drugs - cannot have an impact on his eligibility because the offence is not football related. The Fiji FA is opposing this "because there is no such a limitation in the FijiFA prohibition". Umarji was initially disqualified from candidacy by Fiji FA's governance committee under article 46(6), but the Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a provisional order permitting him to contest the election. The CAS president said the decision to grant the requested relief "does not amount to a legitimisation or trivialisation of the importance of maintaining the highest ethical and integrity standards". "The present decision should not be seen as an act of leniency towards any potentially criminal conduct that may be incompatible with [those] standards." The Fiji FA has decided that the new vice president will not be declared elected, has not assumed office and his eligibility remains under review by CAS. But it also acknowledges that a majority of members at the Congress voted for Umarji for the vice-president west position. "We respectfully urge the public and the media to await the final decision of the CAS Panel, which will comprehensively resolve the matter of eligibility." Aiyaz Umarji directed a request for comment to his lawyer, who has not responded to RNZ Pacific' s questions.
