Pohnpei Premier League

Last updated
Pohnpei Premier League
Founded2009 [1]
Country Federated States of Micronesia
Number of teams4
Level on pyramid1
Current championsIsland Pitbulls (8th title)
(2022)
Most championshipsIsland Pitbulls
(8 titles) [2]

Pohnpei Premier League is the top flight football league in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, established in 2009. [3] [4]

History

In 2009, English journalist Paul Watson and his friend Matthew Conrad established the Pohnpei Premier League, which had its first season from October to December of that year. [5] [6]

During that season, there were five clubs, including the Pitbulls, the SDA, International FC, C.O.M.-FSM FC, and the Island Warriors. [4] The Island Pitbulls competed in shirts donated by English side Yeovil Town, and originated from the College of Micronesia and church groups. [7] The Pitbulls won both the pre-season Liberation Games, as well as the final "showdown" match of the league against SDA, with a score of 5–2. [4]

The best players from the league were then offered the chance to train to be in the Pohnpei national team. [8] In October 2010, Pohnpei won its first football victory in history against a second division club team in Guam. [6]

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References

  1. "The Micronesian Times". 27 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2023-08-04.
  2. "Pohnpei - League". rsssf.org.
  3. "How to Become an International Soccer Coach". vice.com. 21 June 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Cooper, Ian (24 February 2010). "Up Pohnpei – it's Paul's island dream". Brent & Kilburn Times. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  5. "MEET POHNPEI, THE PACIFIC ISLANDERS BATTLING TO BECOME FIFA'S 212TH MEMBER". thesefootballtimes.co. 3 September 2017.
  6. 1 2 Watson, Paul (September 2023). "POHNPEI A DECADE ON". Four Four Two. No. 356. pp. 60–65. Retrieved 2024-05-27 via EBSCOHost.
  7. "Why Micronesia must be allowed to join FIFA". sport360.com (Archived). Archived from the original on 2023-08-04.
  8. "Pohnpei's 'Premier League': How Soccer Returned To A Small Island". wbur.org. 6 September 2019.