Sixteen of Fiji’s promising young footballers have been selected for the inaugural Fiji FA Academy team, based at the Labasa residential elite academy.

The 2025 football season will commence this week with FMF IDC champions, Extra Supermarket Labasa FC, playing Digicel Fiji Premier League winners, Extra Supermarket Rewa FC, in the first leg of the Pillay Garments Champion Vs Champion (CVC) series this Saturday.

Rewa coach Rodeck Singh has applauded the achievements of Fiji Beach Soccer skipper and Rewa star, Tevita Waranivalu, who has been shortlisted for the prestigious Worldwide Beach Soccer Stars 2024 awards.

Barcelona snapped their four-match winless streak in LaLiga with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Valencia on Sunday, with Fermin Lopez scoring an impressive double and adding two assists.

Aston Villa missed a chance to close in on the Premier League’s top four in a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United whose Brazilian left back Emerson rescued a point after Jacob Ramsey had got the hosts off to a dream start.

Bryan Mbeumo’s retaken penalty and Kevin Schade’s headed goal gave Brentford a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, ending the hosts’ five-game unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Leicester City snapped a seven-match losing streak in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur that continued the home side’s abysmal form.

Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card in the 1-0 win away at Wolverhampton Wanderers left manager Mikel Arteta “fuming” while television pundits reacted with shock and surprise at referee Michael Oliver’s decision.

Kylian Mbappe bagged his first hat-trick for Real Madrid as the LaLiga champions easily beat bottom-club Real Valladolid 3-0 on Saturday to extend their lead on top of the standings.

Liverpool and Arsenal kept up their race for the Premier League title with victories over relegation-threatened opposition, but the charge of third-placed Nottingham Forest’s faltered as they were hammered 5-0 by surging Bournemouth.

Tottenham Hotspur are “playing with fire” if the North London club do not sign new recruits during the January transfer window, manager Ange Postecoglou said as the injury-hit squad continues to struggle in the Premier League.

The 3rd edition of the Pillay Garments Champion vs Champion (CVC) series was launched today at Fiji FA, Vatuwaqa with high praise for the development of Fijian football.