Nadi D.F.A.
Full nameNadi D.F.A.
Nickname(s)The Jetsetters
Founded1937 (1937)
GroundPrince Charles Park
Nadi, Fiji
Capacity18,000
ChairmanSameer Taki
ManagerIndihira Goundar
LeagueFiji Premier League
20216th

Nadi Football Club is a Fijian football club based in Nadi that competes in the Fiji Premier League. Their home stadium is Prince Charles.

History

Nadi Football Club was founded in 1937 under the leadership of Edward Grant.[1] The local competition held during the year included the teams: Koronubu, Sabeto, Bhartiya and Votualevu. Nadi played for the first time in the Inter-district competition in 1939, when it beat Nadroga in the preliminary round by 2 goals to nil but lost to Rewa in the semi-final by the same margin.

Nadi are 8-time champions of Fiji. Nadi won the Inter-District Championship (IDC) for the first time in 1969 under the Presidency of Cr. Shri Venkanna Chetty. They have won their last two IDC finals (against Lautoka 3–1 in 1998 and Ba 1–0 in 1999), which came after their last IDC win in 1974. Nadi qualified for the championship after a 3-team playoff with Ba and Labasa. Ba were favourites to win the play-offs but were upset in the first match against Labasa by 3–0. Nadi then beat Labasa by 3–0 and Ba 1–0 to qualify for the Oceania Club Championship.

1999 Oceania Club Championship

In the Championship, which they hosted, Nadi beat New Zealand's Central United 1–0 in the semi-finals courtesy of a Marika Namaqa free kick. Nadi, an amateur team, then lost the final to Australia's South Melbourne FC, a professional outfit, by 5–1. This match was played in heavy rain, with South Melbourne scoring 3 penalty kicks. Nadi's lone goal was scored by Watisoni Voli.

The next year in 2000, Nadi went undefeated in the National League by winning 17 of the 18 games and drawing one against Ba.

Achievements

1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1998, 2000, 2015.
1969, 1971, 1974, 1998, 1999, 2002.
1978, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1996.
1996, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019.
Runner-up 1: 2017.
2015.

Performance in OFC competitions

1999 – Finalist – Lost against South Melbourne FC Australia (stage 3 of 3)
South Melbourne FC Australia5–1Fiji Nadi
Steve Isoifidis 8'
David Clarkson 16'
Michael Curcija 47' pen
Vaughan Coveny 50'
Steve Panopoulos 73' pen
(Report) Watisoni Voli 87'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: ?

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Fiji FIJ Samuela Tamanisau
2 MF Fiji FIJ Rahul Krishna
3 DF Fiji FIJ Luke Rawadamu
4 DF Fiji FIJ Sekove Naivakananumi
5 FW Fiji FIJ Rusiate Matarerega
6 MF Fiji FIJ Jone Ralulu
7 MF Fiji FIJ William Valentine
8 MF Fiji FIJ Christopher Kumar
9 Fiji FIJ Krishna Sami
10 FW Fiji FIJ Joel Shelvin Prasad
11 DF Fiji FIJ Ilimotama Jese
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 DF Fiji FIJ Ame Votoniu
13 MF Fiji FIJ Josevata Malakai
14 FW Fiji FIJ Surjason Sami
15 MF Fiji FIJ Peni Tuigulagula
16 DF Fiji FIJ Rupeni Rabici
17 MF Fiji FIJ Patrick Joseph
18 FW Fiji FIJ Andrew Naicker
19 MF Fiji FIJ Sailosi Rayaqona
21 MF Fiji FIJ Imran Shah
22 GK Fiji FIJ Vereti Dickson

See also

References

  1. "FIJI FA District Affiliates".

Bibliography

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