// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Gabriele Matanisiga? A rugby player with a tackling mat-an-issue.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 June 1995[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Nabalebale, Fiji | ||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)[2] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rewa | ||
| Number | 4[3] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Seaqaqa | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2017 | Labasa | ||
| 2017–2021 | Rewa | 39 | (10) |
| 2021 | Suva | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2024 | Rewa | 43 | (6) |
| 2024 | Wellington Olympic | 7 | (0) |
| 2025 | Rewa | 17 | (5) |
| 2026 | Bula | 11 | (0) |
| 2026– | Rewa | 4 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015 | Fiji U20 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022– | Fiji | 18 | (2) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 May 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 May 2026 | |||
Gabriele Matanisiga (born 14 June 1995) is a Fijian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Fiji Premier League club Rewa and the Fiji national football team.
Early and personal life
[edit]Matanisiga was born in the village of Nabalebale and was educated at Seaqaqa Primary School before he was picked up by Seaqaqa FC .[4] His brother Iowane is also a footballer, with Matanisiga playing with him at Rewa.[5] Matanisiga worked as a sugarcane cutter and dropped out of school early to help support his siblings' careers.[6]
Club career
[edit]Rewa (first spell)
[edit]Matanisiga began his senior career at Labasa,[7] signed for Rewa from Labasa in 2017, playing against his former club that same season in the Fiji Football Association Cup Tournament semi-final, defeating them 6–5 on penalties.[8] He scored 10 goals in 39 league games in his first spell for Rewa, also representing Rewa in the Inter-District Championship, including in 2020, where he scored an equalising goal against Lautoka.[9]
Suva FC transfer breach
[edit]In 2021, Matanisiga was fined $5,000 and banned for 6 matches for breaching dual-registration transfer regulations after signing for Suva F.C., along with being ordered to pay $3,000 to Suva FC.[10] Following his return to Rewa, they filed an appeal to the decision of Player Status Committee, the committee focused on resolving Player Transfer Disputes between District Associations and clubs, the committee found Suva FC at equal fault and imposed a fine of $2,500.00 on Suva FC to be paid to Fiji Football Association, whilst also reducing Matanisiga's initial fine by halve from $5,000 to $2,500.
Rewa (second spell)
[edit]Matanisiga won the 2022 Fiji Premier League with Rewa, playing every match as Rewa won the league on the final day.[11] The following year, Rewa finished as runners-up,[12] with Matanisiga contributing 3 goals in 17 league matches, including a brace from defence against Nadroga.[13]
Wellington Olympic
[edit]Matanisiga signed for New Zealand National League team Wellington Olympic in 2024.[14]
Rewa (third spell)
[edit]Matanisiga rejoined Rewa in 2025,[15][16] helping the team to the 2025 Fiji Premier League title,[17] as well as the 2025 Inter-District Championship, a tournament in which he won the Player of the Tournament.[18]
Bula FC
[edit]Matanisiga signed with Bula FC, a newly created Fijian club for the inaugural season of the OFC Professional League. He became the first signing in the club's history.[19][20]
Rewa (fourth spell)
[edit]Matanisiga rejoined for the third time back to Rewa in June 2026 after the 2026 OFC Professional League season ended.
International career
[edit]Matanisiga represented Fiji U20 at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.[21]
Matanisiga was involved in training with the senior team in the lead up to their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.[22] He made his senior debut in 2022, scoring a late winner in a 1–0 victory over New Caledonia in the 2022 MSG Prime Minister's Cup.[23] He was part of the Fiji squad for the 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup.[24]
Matanisigia has represented both the Fiji national futsal team,[25] and the Fiji national beach soccer team[26] as well as association football.
References
[edit]- ↑ "Gabriele Matasiniga". WhoScored.
- ↑ "Gabriele Matanisiga". Football Italia.
- ↑ "Gabriele Matanisiga-Bula". Bula FC.
- ↑ Chand, Simran (3 December 2025). "Nabalebale village boy makes it to pro league". FBC News. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Chand, Simran (22 January 2024). "Labasa denied interest in Matanisiga brothers". Fiji Live. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Nasokia, Waisea (4 December 2025). "Matanisiga is Bula FC's first signing". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "Nadi, Labasa clash top bill". Fiji Football. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "Rewa 6-5 Labasa". Fiji Football. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Amadeu, Pedro (6 October 2020). "Gabriele Matanisiga: Rewa's hero at IDC opening day". Oceania Football Center. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Saltori, Rafael (12 January 2021). "Suva sign midfielder Gabriele Matanisiga". Oceania Football Center. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ "Rewa win Fiji league title with last minute goal on dramatic final day". Oceania Football. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Chandar, Reginald (22 September 2023). "Lautoka declared DFPL winners". Fiji Live. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Chandar, Reginald (30 July 2023). "Matanisiga inspires big Rewa win". Fiji Live. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Saltori, Rafael (26 June 2024). "Gabriele Matanisiga: The remarkable journey to the OFC Nations Cup". Oceania Football Center. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Chandar, Reginald (17 January 2025). "Matanisiga cleared to feature for Rewa". Fiji Live. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Wara, Vereimi (30 January 2025). "Four set to boost Rewa". Fiji Times. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Chand, Simran (15 September 2025). "Rewa retains Premier League title". FBC News. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Kumar, Rashika (and Mohammed Feroz) (12 October 2025). "Rewa crowned IDC champions after thrilling 1-0 victory over Ba in their own backyard". Fiji Village. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Chandar, Reginald (3 December 2025). "Matanisiga unveiled as Bula FC's historic signing". Fiji Live. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Nand, Priya (3 December 2025). "Bula FC signs Gabriele Matanisiga as first player". Fiji Village. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Singh, Zanzeer (28 April 2015). "U20 players out". Fiji Times. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Singh, Zanzeer (22 December 2016). "Five join Fiji camp". Fiji Times. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Kumar, Rashika (18 September 2022). "Bula Boys beat New Caledonia 1-0 in MSG Prime Ministers Cup". Fiji Village. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "OFC Men's Nations Cup: Hosts Fiji and Vanuatu eye title as All Whites name young squad". RNZ. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "Tahiti edge Fiji in ten goal thriller to reach OFC Futsal Nations Cup Final". Oceania Football. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Sharma, Navneet (24 August 2023). "Solomons prove too strong for Fiji". Fiji Times. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
