The Malta Football Association, led by President Bjorn Vassallo, held a series of meetings over recent days at the Ta’ Qali Technical Centre with club officials from the Premier League, Challenge League, and National Amateur League.
The meetings served as a platform to share important financial data, attendance statistics, and player development figures, reinforcing the Malta FA’s commitment to transparency and active engagement with its member clubs.
Homegrown Player Scheme: €250,000 Development Pot
A central focus was the €250,000 development fund allocated equally by the Malta FA and the Malta Premier League, aimed at rewarding clubs that promote homegrown talent.
Melita FC registered the most starting appearances by Maltese players in the Premier League (195), while Mosta FC led in U21 appearances (69). Hibernians FC’s Kurt Shaw played the most minutes among homegrown players (2,774), whereas Marsaxlokk’s Leandro Aguirre and Sliema Wanderers’ Kelvin Agu Emeka were the most-used non-homegrown players (2,880 minutes each).
Other clubs noted for local youth usage included Naxxar Lions, Żabbar St. Patrick, Ħamrun Spartans, and Melita FC.
The Premier League recorded a total of 236 matches this season, including playoff and Final Four fixtures—an increase resulting from the revised format. The 2025/26 season is set to begin the weekend of 16 August.
Challenge League and National Amateur League
In the BOV Challenge League, 176 matches were played, mostly at the Centenary Stadium and Victor Tedesco Stadium. The homegrown players with the most minutes (1,980) were Luke Bonnici (Lija Athletic), Jake Pisani (St. Andrews), and Andreas Vella (Tarxien Rainbows).
The Malta FA also reviewed the Challenge Cup, a new second-tier competition introduced this season.
In the National Amateur League, Għargħur goalkeeper James Abela recorded the most minutes in NAL 1 (2,153), while Siggiewi’s Leon Seisun and Victoria Hotspurs’ Dejan Bogdanovic led NAL 2 with 1,620 minutes each.
A total of €90,000 in development pot funding was allocated across both the Challenge League and the National Amateur League. Financial details were also shared regarding the UEFA Solidarity Scheme and the new criteria introduced during the last season.
Both leagues will commence in September, following the FIFA international window.
Increased Attendance for 2024/25
Season 2024/25 saw a significant increase in spectator attendance across all senior men’s competitions, with 213,071 total attendees compared to 169,523 in 2023/24—an overall 26% increase.
Breakdown by competition:
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Premier League: +21%
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Challenge League: +38%
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National Amateur League: +27%
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FA Trophy and Super Cup: +11%
The National Championship (Premier League, Challenge League, and Amateur League) recorded 184,056 spectators, while domestic cup competitions attracted 29,015.
Key Competition Dates and New Tournaments
The Malta FA announced several key dates for the upcoming season:
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BOV Super Cup: Scheduled for 12 August 2025 between Ħamrun Spartans and Hibernians, subject to UEFA club competition participation. If unavailable, the fixture will move to 10 February 2026.
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Jubilee Cup: A new competition marking the Malta FA’s 125th anniversary, with finals for both men’s and women’s teams to be played on 8 December 2025. A maximum of five non-homegrown players per team may be fielded at any one time.
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Youth League: The BOV Men’s Youth League will begin in late August 2025.
Draws for the BOV Challenge League, National Amateur Leagues 1 and 2, Assikura Women’s League, and BOV Youth League will take place on 3 July 2025 during a live broadcast on TVMSports+.
Stadium Upgrades
Renovation works are currently underway at the Centenary Stadium and Luxol Stadium, with completion expected by July 2025. These are the final regional stadiums to be upgraded, following previous works at the Victor Tedesco, Sirens, and Charles Abela stadiums.
These projects reflect the Malta FA’s ongoing commitment to modernising football infrastructure across all levels of the game.
Green Goal Initiative
The Malta FA highlighted its ongoing collaboration with Project Green through the Green Goal initiative, encouraging clubs to adopt environmentally sustainable practices.
Launched in March, the scheme supports projects including pitchside greening, beautification, and water conservation for irrigation. An initial round of financial support has been distributed, with further applications currently open.
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