The Inter-District Championship (IDC) is the most important event in the Fiji Football Association calendar. Teams representing various football playing districts of Fiji have taken part in this annual event every year, except 1987 due to disruptions caused by military coups, since the formation of the Association in 1938. Teams compete for the coveted Lloyd Farebrother Trophy, donated by the first President of the Fiji Football Association, A.S. Farebrother and Lloyd and Company.
Only five teams (Suva, Rewa, Ba, Levuka and Lautoka), took part in the first IDC held in Suva in 1938. From 1938 to 1975, the competition was initially held on a knock out format but in 1976 pool play was introduced. From 1985, the competition was held in two divisions with the introduction of a second level tournament known as the Premier Division. In 1999 there was a short lived third level division.
With Navua registering its first ever win of the IDC tournament in 2009, all the current (as of January 2010) Super Premium Division teams have now won the Lloyd Farebrother Trophy one or more time(s).
Lautoka holds the record for highest scores in the Idc finals thrashing Ba twice, 6 -0 and 7- 0 and also beat Suva in one of the finals 7 - 1.
Nature of tournament
The tournament is divided into two divisions. The Premier division (previously 10 teams) is currently made up of 8 district teams. At present these teams are Ba, Labasa, Lautoka, Nadi, Nadroga, Rewa, Suva, and Tailevu/Naitasiri. The teams are divided into two pools of four and each team plays all the other teams once, usually over four days. A win is worth 3 points, a draw 1 point and a loss 0 points. The top two teams in each pool qualify for the semi-finals, with the winner of each pool playing the runner-up of the other pool. The semi-finals and the final are played on the same day.
The First division is made up of 14 teams. At present these teams are Bua, Dreketi, Lami, Nadogo, Nalawa, Nasinu, Navua, Rakiraki, Seaqaqa, Savusavu, Tavua, Tailevu North, Taveuni and Vatukoula. The teams are divided into three pools of four and each team plays all the other teams once, over four days. A win is worth 3 points, a draw 1 point and a loss 0 points. The top team in each pool plus the best runner-up qualify for the semi-finals. The semi-finals and the final are played on the same day.