SOCCER fans in the north can expect some exciting clashes in the opening round of the Inkk Mobile Battle of Giants (BOG), which will be held at Subrail Park in Labasa on July 22.
The Fiji Football Association released the fixtures on Thursday, which sees powerhouse Suva and Nadi tussling in the first match at 9am. Soccer giants Ba will take on minnows Nadroga in the second match at 11am while Lautoka faces Navua at 1pm.
Host Labasa will play defending champion Rewa at 3pm in the final match of the opening round before the tournament moves to Churchill Park for the remaining matches, the following week.
Suva, which won the 2012 Vodafone Fiji FACT title after a lapse of 17 years, is wary of the Jetsetters, which is leading the Fiji Sun/GP Batteries National Football League (NFL) competition.
Suva soccer president Mahen Prasad said the late form of Nadi looked intimidating but that would not deter them from putting their best fight in the opening match.
"It will be a tough game for us. The current form of Nadi looks really good as the team has been undefeated in the past few NFL matches," Prasad said.
"They look geared up for the tournament but we are not going to give in easily."
The capital city side faces Nadroga in the NFL clash tomorrow and Prasad said a win would set a perfect platform for the team's BOG campaign. Meanwhile, Fiji FA chief executive officer Bob Kumar confirmed six teams to participate in the premier division competition during the BOG, when it undergoes proper from July 26-29.
Kumar said Northern premier division champion Taveuni, Tailevu Naitasiri, Nasinu, Lami, Vatukoula and Rakiraki are teams confirmed to be part of this historic tournament.
For the first time in the history of Fiji soccer, 90-minute football will be played throughout a tournament (BOG).
Super Premier: Pool One - Rewa, Ba, Labasa and Nadroga; Pool B - Lautoka, Nadi, Suva and Navua
Premier: Pool One - Rakiraki, Nasinu, Tailevu Naitasiri; Pool Two - Vatukoula, Taveuni, Lami
Remaining fixtures
July 26 (Thursday at Churchill Park, Lautoka)
2pm Navua-Suva (P2), 4 Nadroga-Labasa (P1), 6 Official Opening, 6.30 Rewa-Ba (P1), 8.30 Lautoka-Nadi (P2)
July 27 (Friday at Churchill Park, Lautoka)
10am Rakiraki-T/Naitasiri (A), 11.15 Vatukoula-Lami (B), 1pm Rewa-Nadroga (P1), 3 Nadi-Navua (P2), 5 Rakiraki-Nasinu (A), 6.30 Labasa-Ba (P1), 8.30 Suva-Lautoka (P2)
July 28 (Saturday at Churchill Park, Lautoka)
12noon Vatukoula-Taveuni (B), 1.30pm Nasinu-T/Naitasiri (A), Semi Final- Super Premier - 3 Winner (P1)-Runner/up (P2), 5 Winner (P2)-Runner/up (P1), 7 Taveuni-Lami (B)
July 29 (Sunday at Churchill Park, Lautoka)
11am Premier Final Winner A-Winner B, 12.30pm Super Premier 3rd/4th place, 3 Super Premier Final, 5 Presentations