The tournament begins on Sunday and features ten of the country’s leading male club sides – Ba, Nadi, Lautoka, Suva, Savusavu, Labasa, Nadroga, Tavua, Rewa and Navua.
The final will be held on August 14, not long before the commencement of the Pacific Games, which take place in New Caledonia from August 27 to September 9.
Members of the men’s national squad have been in camp in Suva under the watchful eye of coach Gurjit Singh but were released to take part in the Battle of the Giants last Saturday.
Sharma says both the men’s and women’s squads will return to camp shortly after the BOG as they look to round off their Pacific Games preparations with friendly matches against their counterparts from Samoa.
“These games will be very important for us as they will assist us greatly in the build-up to the Pacific Games,” he says.
The Fiji men’s team has been drawn in Group B for the event with Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands and Kiribati, while the women are likewise in Group B of their tournament and will face Tonga, Cook Islands and Guam.
The dates of August 16 and 18 have been set aside for the Samoa friendlies – the last hit-out for the Fiji teams ahead of the Games – and will see the Fiji women in action for the first time since their disappointing campaign at the OFC Women’s Nations Cup last September.
Despite Samoa not being regarded as one of the powers of Oceania football, Sharma says both Fiji sides cannot afford to underestimate their opponents.
“The Samoa women’s side will no doubt provide a strong challenge for ours,” he says.
“With all due respect to the Samoa men, on paper, we should pick up a victory. But they are unknown to us and we do not know what to expect from them.”
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