BATTLE of the Giants champion Lautoka will kick off the 2016 Courts Inter-District Championship against Nadroga at the ANZ Stadium in Suva today.
With kick-off at 1pm, the 2016 IDC boasts a long weekend of football fiesta, and an economic injection for the nation’s Capital City.
But proceedings into the 2016 edition could start with motions for change in governance of football in the country.
Among them could be the term of office of future Fiji Football Association presidents which could be as long as 12 years if a motion is passed at today’s 78th Ordinary Congress in Suva.
Among the motions circulated to all Fiji FA board of control members and affiliated districts, this is listed as the last motion. A copy of the circulated motions was sighted by this newspaper yesterday.
Former president Dr Samshud-Din Sahu Khan served in the top post for almost 25-years.
Fiji FA chief executive officer Bob Kumar could not comment last night on the motions that would be tabled this morning.
“We have some motions at the moment and it is for the members and not for the public,” he said.
“It will be discussed and debated tomorrow (today) and then you can have the information after that.”
There is a motion by Labasa Football Association to reduce the number of clubs in all Vanua Levu districts.
Lautoka Football Association has put a motion to allow all players whose transfer were approved in the September 2016 window, be allowed to play in the left over tournaments and national league.
Other motions include rescinding the membership of Nardeo Mishra and the naming of the football academy in Labasa, Sheikh Ibrahim Academy.
The motions were given to the members and districts on September 20 by Fiji FA chief executive Bob Kumar.
Meanwhile, Kumar said: “The tournament is going to be great and we are hoping for a successful one this year. We are also hoping for good weather to prevail.”
The 2016 IDC will boost Suva City economy with floods of soccer fans from across the country into the capital in the next six days
There will be 686 players and officials from the eight premier teams, 13 senior division sides, four primary and four secondary schools teams excluding Fiji FA officials, referees, medics, and fans spilling into the ANZ Stadium, Bidesi and Buckhurst Grounds. The ANZ Stadium has a capacity of 19,000.
Football fans will watch free football on Saturday as the premier teams rest while the senior and school teams competing.
Fiji FA competitions manager Amitesh Pal said: “There won’t be any gate taking on Saturday since we will having schools’ competition and senior division matches. The ground will be open for football fans.”
For other days, people need to pay $12 for the grandstand for adults and $5 for children under 12 years of age while for embankment, adults would pay $8 while children U12 pay $4.
Matches today:
1pm: Nadroga vs Lautoka, 3pm: Ba vs Rewa, 5pm Official opening, 5.30pm: Nadi vs Dreketi, 7.30pm: Suva vs Labasa.