The Fiji Football will participate in the OFC Beach Soccer Championship next year, said Fiji FA chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf while presenting the awards during the Digicel Beach Soccer Championship 2022 at FSC Beach Soccer field in Laucala Bay, Suva last Saturday.
“We will surely participate in next year’s OFC Beach Soccer World Cup qualification and we will be bringing an expert coach from overseas to coach the team,” said Yusuf.
“We will be going bigger and better in beach soccer next year so we have quality players who will understand the code well.
“It will be not necessary to have top football players but players who have skills and drills to play beach soccer.”
Yusuf says there has been huge interest from clubs in playing beach soccer.
“We have seen the interest from players who want to play the code that is why we are focusing on developing the code around the country,” he said.
Yusuf said they wanted to take the game to the maritime islands.
“Our plans are to take beach soccer to maritime islands like Yasawa, Kadavu, and Lau where we have beautiful beaches so that we can grow beach soccer,” he said.
“Fiji FA is planning to build its own beach soccer pitches in Suva, Ba and Labasa and I am sure with our commitment and the support of the participants who are going under a week-long coaching course we will strive high in beach soccer.
“Playing beach soccer is not tough and I am sure most of us have played and some still play while they go on picnics with a ball and play.
“We have seen some potential players in beach soccer during some of the regional club beach soccer tournaments in the past and today (Saturday).”
