With the 2026 Extra Battle of the Giants just eight days away, defending champion Labasa FC will enter the tournament under the spotlight, with coach Alvin Chand preparing his side for another demanding title campaign.
The tournament kicks off next Friday at Four R Stadium, Govind Park, in Ba, where Chand will begin his quest to guide the Babasiga Lions to back-to-back BOG titles.
Chand’s journey with Labasa Football has been built over almost a decade.
After joining the district setup around 2016, he spent several years working with the youth teams before progressing into senior football.
His promotion to head coach in March, 2025, replacing Ravneel Pratap, marked the beginning of a breakthrough season.
Chand immediately made his mark, guiding Labasa to the 2025 BiC Fiji FACT title before securing the Extra BOG crown with a 2-1 victory over Rewa in the final at Subrail Park.
This year, however, the challenge will be greater.
As defending champion, Labasa will be one of the teams every opponent wants to beat.
The Babasiga Lions have been drawn in a competitive pool alongside Nasinu, Suva and Navua, setting up three important matches during the opening weekend.
For Chand, retaining the title would cap a remarkable rise through the Labasa system and strengthen his reputation as one of Fiji’s emerging football coaches.
With the countdown now underway, the pressure is on the champions to prove they can do it again.
