[File Photo]

Competing in international events is a must for the national women’s football team in an effort to raise the standard of the sport in the country.

Drawing from the recent success of the Fijiana 7s team, Coach Marika Rodu believes football players need more exposure on the international stage.

He says this will help the players gain more experience at the same time cementing their interest in the sport.

“I think at whatever platform we play in internationally, it gives us the opportunity to express our skills and talent around the world and also build the player’s confidence and moral. We want to expose our players in international matches to keep our players motivated.”

Rodu says Fijiana’s win is a victory for all women in sports in the country and it has given them new light to try and reach the same level.

[Marika Rodu]

The team is eyeing qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup but it will need to go through the playoffs stage which will be held in June, 2022.

However, preparation and training are on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If things normalize by November, the national squad will have a breathing space of seven months to prepare for the playoffs.