Fiji FA President Rajesh Patel

The Fiji Football Association is hoping to become the second team with New Zealand to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year.

This after the OFC Disciplinary Committee penalized the Solomon Football Federation for breaching the OFC Disciplinary Code and the OFC U-16 Championship 2018 Regulations.

Fiji FA President Rajesh Patel says they have already made its proposal to the OFC Disciplinary Committee to become the second team to take part in the U17 World Cup.

“We qualified in the semis and everything and Solomon’s wouldn’t be there and we would’ve topped the pool and this is something certainly we will put our case forward with the committee to make the right decision and see if they will agree on the proposal and everything and we would love to be the second team with NZ to the World Cup.”

The OFC Disciplinary Committee has found the Solomon Islands Football Federation and U-16 player Chris Satu to have breached both the OFC Disciplinary Code and the OFC U-16 Championship 2018 Regulations.

Satu was found to have been born prior to 1 January 2002, on an underdetermined date.

Satu has been suspended for six matches.

The Solomon Islands U-16 team will forfeit all the matches in which Satu participated during the Championship – five matches in total – and will pay a fine of over $700.

SIFF has been found in breach of the Championship 2018 Regulations.

The Solomon Islands U-16 team finished second behind New Zealand at the Championship, qualifying for the World Cup.

The findings of the OFC Disciplinary Committee in the matter of Satu’s eligibility has resulted in the forfeiting of the team’s place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2019.