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A dispute has emerged over the use of Suva’s Albert Park, ahead of next month’s Fiji vs Scotland Test match and the Oceania Football Confederation’s Women’s Nations Cup.

The training ground, initially booked by the Fiji Football Association, has now been reallocated to Fiji Rugby by the Suva City Council.

Fiji FA claims the SCC rejected their booking request, citing concerns that an 18-day training period would cause damage to the Albert Park ground surface.

According to Fiji FA General Manager Operations, Anushil Kumar, Fiji FA had secured Albert Park weeks in advance for the OFC teams’ training, a booking made to properly facilitate the estimated $1.7 million in revenue that the event is expected to bring into the country.

However, negotiations with the SCC stalled due to what Kumar described as a staggering “500% increase” in hire rates compared to last year.

Kumar revealed that in their meeting with SCC, Fiji FA specifically requested only Ground Number Two and Number Four (on opposite sides of the park), leaving Ground Number One and Number Three open for Fiji Rugby if they needed to book it.

The SCC, in a written response to questions sent by FBC Sports, says the council’s decision was driven by a commitment to the sustainability of Albert Park’s playing surfaces.

The SCC highlights that Rugby’s shorter four-day booking was deemed more manageable than Fiji FA’s proposed 18 days.

“The extensive duration of the requested football training period, coupled with the current maintenance requirements, posed a significant challenge to preserving the integrity of the playing surface. Therefore, the Suva City Council regrettably informed the Fiji Football Association that Albert Park will not be available for their proposed dates.”

However, Fiji FA GM Operations argues otherwise, saying that even rugby training will cause similar damage to the ground surface.

“Rugby booking for 4 days but I mean nothing against rugby but they are using spike studs and for football we are using flat 13 studs which hardly damages the ground. Only if weather changes due to heavy rainfall then the ground might be damaged but as of yesterday afternoon our team actually saw the ground which is really not in a good condition. So, I really can’t understand what the sustainability is for. If the ground is not for the sporting bodies to use who else, it is for.”

Kumar further clarified the proposed usage of the park, explaining that out of the 18-day booking, six days were allocated for actual match play.

On each of these match days, teams would utilize the ground for only three hours.

Fiji FA cannot afford to delay its preparations and has already secured alternative training venues, though Kumar admitted they are not in as better condition as Albert Park.

These venues are: PTC ground, Nasese, Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori and, Buckhurst Park, Suva.

The OFC Women’s Nations Cup will be from July 4 to July 19, while the Flying Fijians will take on Scotland on July 12.

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