The Fiji Football Association (Fiji FA) has outlined bold new plans to unify its football philosophy and strengthen both youth and women’s football during a national workshop held at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba.
The event, attended by district coaches and technical staff, was opened by Fiji FA Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Yusuf, who emphasized the need for greater investment in coach education and grassroots development.
Yusuf said Fiji FA is determined to reshape the game from the ground up, with special attention to younger players.
“We have plans to invest a lot of money in coach education, and we are also going lower into the younger age groups. The 6 to 11 and 6 to 12-year categories are crucial for the future of Fijian football,” he explained.
This initiative comes as the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Pro League is set to kick off next year. Fiji will field Bula FC as its professional team, which must comply with licensing requirements including the operation of a youth academy, development programs, and structured pathways for emerging players.
“Everything will be aligned to ensure we are compliant with Pro League licensing and, more importantly, to ensure Fiji develops football talent systematically,” Yusuf added.
A major theme of the workshop was the urgent need to strengthen women’s football. Yusuf admitted that Fiji’s past dominance at the youth level has slipped in recent years.
“Everything we do for men, we want to do for women. We used to be very strong in the under-16 and under-19 categories for girls, but results have shown a decline. That tells us we have not done enough at the grassroots for our girls,” he said.
Yusuf made it clear that Fiji FA’s approach to football will now be non-negotiable.
“We don’t want coaches from different districts each having their own style of play. That makes it harder to promote players into the professional environment. We want one clear philosophy, embraced across the nation, so that players have a clear pathway into Bula FC and the national teams,” he said.
The workshop featured presentations and training sessions from a team of highly qualified experts, including:
- Yogendra Dutt – Head of Education, driving coach education programs.
- Marika Rodu – Assistant National Coach.
- Noel Augustine – Physiotherapist and Strength & Conditioning Coach.
- Fiji FA Technical Director David Baltase – International coach educator with experience in Cameroon, the Caribbean, the US, and France. He has designed the vision for Fiji’s football development, which the FA now wants to implement nationwide.
Yusuf stressed that the role of a coach is not limited to winning games but also includes holistic player management.
“A coach needs to look at the human being – their recovery, their mental preparedness, their nutrition and their training load,” Yusuf said.
He warned against outdated practices of overtraining players before tournaments, calling for a more scientific approach that maximizes performance and minimizes injuries.
Yusuf closed the workshop by thanking the coaches who attended, while firmly reminding them that commitment to the new philosophy is essential.
“Those who do not embrace this philosophy will not be part of our national coaching setup,” he said.
The Fiji FA sees this workshop as a turning point, laying the foundation for a new era of structured development, equal opportunities for men and women, and a unified football identity across the nation.
