A new competition in the Solomon Islands, which will pit the country’s top three club sides and two best provincial sides against each other, has been announced for February next year.  

In addition to the opportunity for club and provincial players, the inaugural Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) President’s Cup will also offer up valuable game time for players set to feature in the national team at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ OFC preliminary competition in March. 

SIFF announced earlier this month that the competition will be staged in February, with teams playing a single round-robin which will lead into semi-finals and a final.  

It will feature Telekom S-League champions Central Coast FC, runners-up the Solomon Warriors and the third-ranked Waneagu United, along with 2020 Solomon Cup winners Western Tomoko and runners-up Malaita Eagles.  

SIFF Competitions Director Gerald Oiaka said with the Telekom S-League season having finished up in October, the President’s Cup is a good way to ensure national team players remain match fit.   

The competition is set to start on February 5, with the final planned for February 19 at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara. 

The Solomon Islands national team meanwhile has been named in Group A for the preliminary competition in Qatar, alongside Tahiti, Vanuatu and either Tonga or Cook Islands.