The Beach Soccer League commenced last Saturday at the Fiji Sports Council beach soccer field in Laucala Bay, marking an important step in identifying elite players for the upcoming OFC competitions.
Led by Fiji Futsal and Beach Soccer head coach Jerry Sam, the league serves as a talent pipeline to scout and nurture players for international representation.
The opening day saw six games in a competitive lineup.
In a closely contested match, Lami edged out Northland with a 4-3 win, while Navua defeated Naitasiri 7-3 after arriving late.
Rewa and Naitasiri both won by default against Suva and Nasinu, respectively.
In an interview, Sam emphasized the league’s role as a talent pipeline, saying, “Our main goal in running this league is to identify talented players who possess an understanding of the game and strong technical abilities.”
He noted that beach soccer, distinct from futsal, requires mastery of specific skills like high ball control and precision passing.
Currently, the league includes seven teams from the Southern Division, many with national league experience.
According to Sam, expansion plans are underway, with additional teams from Labasa and Ba expected to join next year.
Ba has already shown interest by laying the groundwork for their own team, signaling the sport’s growing popularity across Fiji.
As the league progresses, Sam’s goal is clear, to establish a training squad of elite players capable of representing Fiji on the international stage.
