FOOTBALL has always been the heartbeat of FANCA tournaments.
Since its inception in Vancouver, Canada in 1997, the event carved its identity around competitive football, the matches, the rivalries, the pride, and the travelling supporters who made it more than just a tournament.
So when long-time followers feel the sport is now being treated as “bait” rather than the main attraction, that frustration cuts deep.
It touches the goodwill of pioneers who built the platform from scratch.
During the official launch and major sponsor reveal for the 2026 tournament, FANCA president Mohammed Yusuf framed the event as a vehicle to draw numbers in support of the historic 100-Year Centennial Celebrations of the Fiji Muslim League.
He emphasized on women’s participation, cultural showcases, religious observances, and broader community outreach, one that reflects growth and inclusiveness.
That evolution is not inherently negative. In fact, it signals maturity and an effort to serve a wider base.
But here’s where the tension lies:
Football was not just another activity, it was the foundation.
For decades, the tournament wasn’t built around side events with football attached.
It was football first, community celebration second.
When that order appears reversed, even symbolically, it can feel as though the soul of the event is being diluted.
The key questions become:
Is football still the competitive centrepiece?
Are cultural engagements, resources, and scheduling giving it clear priority?
Or is it now simply the hook to draw crowds before attention shifts elsewhere?
For inclusiveness does not require diminishing the core product.
The most successful community sporting events elevate culture and outreach precisely because the sport remains strong, not in spite of it.
Football has always been the reason for the get-together, the travel, the rivalry, the anticipation.
If that competitive edge softens, so does the magnetism.
After 2026, when FANCA returns to its regular cycle, supporters will be watching closely.
If football is to be described as the “bait,” then it must remain the sharpest hook in the water, not a decorative lure.
Supporters are not asking leadership to abandon growth.
They are asking them to remember what built the house in the first place.
Without football, there is no FANCA.
