Ba end seven-year wait with record 22nd Fiji Premier League title

Ba FC are champions of Fiji once again, with the Men in Black sealing the 2026 Extra Premier League title in emphatic fashion after a 6-0 victory over Tailevu Naitasiri at 4R Stadium, Govind Park on Sunday.

The result brought an end to a seven-year wait for Ba, whose previous national league triumph came in 2019, and extended their own record to 22 league championships – comfortably the most successful record in the history of Fiji’s national competition.

Solomon Islands international John Orobulu played a major role in the title-clinching victory, scoring a hat-trick as Ba eventually overwhelmed Tailevu Naitasiri.

The visitors managed to resist during much of the opening half before Orobulu broke the deadlock and sent Ba into halftime with a 1-0 advantage. From there, the match quickly moved away from Tailevu Naitasiri.

Praneel Naidu converted from the penalty spot early in the second half before Orobulu added another two goals to complete his hat-trick. Vilitati Kautoga and Mohammed Shazil Ali also found the net as the home crowd was able to celebrate the championship with a convincing victory.

The three points took Ba to 39 points and mathematically placed the title beyond the reach of their closest challengers with one round still remaining.

Ba will therefore enter their final fixture against defending champions Rewa with the championship already secured. After 17 matches, the new champions have recorded 12 victories, three draws and only two defeats, scoring 53 goals while conceding just 14.

The title is particularly significant considering how competitive the race had been earlier in the season.

Labasa and Rewa both spent periods threatening Ba’s challenge, while the Men in Black themselves suffered defeats against both clubs during the first part of the campaign. In May, with Ba sitting second in the standings, the association made a coaching change and appointed Ravinesh Kumar as head coach, with former coach Shalen Lal remaining as part of the staff as assistant.

Ba also strengthened considerably during the mid-season transfer period.

Among the arrivals were three experienced Pacific internationals: Solomon Islands duo Orobulu and David Supa and Vanuatu midfielder John Alick. Orobulu and Alick had spent the opening part of 2026 with PNG Hekari in the inaugural OFC Professional League.

Mohammed Shazil Ali and Patrick Joseph were also added from Lautoka and Rewa respectively, while Nabil Begg and Ryan Naresh returned following spells with Bula FC.

The additions gave Ba further depth for the decisive part of the campaign, and Orobulu in particular has made an immediate impact. His hat-trick in the game that secured the league title was another major contribution after the Solomon Islands striker had already played an important role in Ba’s successful Fiji FACT campaign.

That tournament provided the first major indication that 2026 could become a special season for the club.

Ba defeated Labasa 1-0 after extra time in the Fiji FACT semifinal before overcoming Navua 3-1 on penalties following a goalless final in June. It was Ba’s first Fiji FACT championship since 2010, ending another lengthy wait for a major domestic trophy.

The league crown now completes a domestic double and confirms Ba’s return to the top of Fijian football.

The significance also extends beyond the domestic season. By winning the Extra Premier League, Ba have secured Fiji’s place allocated to the national champions in next season’s OFC Champions League, giving the club an opportunity to return to the continental stage.

For a club that won six consecutive Fijian league titles between 2001 and 2006 and has historically set the standard in the country, seven years without a league championship represented an unusually long absence.

That wait is now over.

From their first national league championship in 1977 to title number 22 in 2026, Ba remain the benchmark by which domestic success in Fiji is measured – and after several years watching other clubs take control of the competition, the Men in Black are champions again.