Maltese Premier League

Maltese Premier League

Organising body	Malta Football Association (MFA)
Founded	1909;115 years ago (1909)
Country	Malta
Confederation	UEFA
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Maltese Challenge League
Domestic cup(s)	Maltese FA Trophy Maltese Super Cup
International cup(s)	UEFA Champions League UEFA Conference League
Current champions	Ħamrun Spartans (10th title) (2023–24)
Most championships	Sliema Wanderers and Floriana (26 titles each)
TV partners	TVMSport+ (Live Matches)
Website	mfa.com.mt/premier-league
Current: 2024–25 Maltese Premier League

The Maltese Premier League, known as 360Sports Malta Premier for sponsorship reasons with 360Sports (colloquially known as Il-Kampjonat Premjer), is the highest level of professional football in Malta. Managed by the Malta Football Association, the Premier League is contested by 12 teams and operates on a promotion and relegation system with the Challenge League. As of June 2022, the Premier League ranks 46th out of 55 members in the UEFA coefficient. ^[1]

The league was first contested in 1909 as the First Division, before switching to its current name in 1980; ^[2] the First Division in turn replaced the Second Division. Sliema Wanderers and Floriana have won the title a record 26 times. The current champions are Ħamrun Spartans who won their 10th title in the 2023–24 season.

Format

Current design of Maltese Premier League Trophy since 2018

• 5 clubs: 1909–1912
• 8 clubs: 1912–1913
• 7 clubs: 1913–1914
• 6 clubs: 1914–1917
• 8 clubs: 1917–1918
• 5 clubs: 1918–1919
• 6 clubs: 1919–1920
• 9 clubs: 1920–1921
• 7 clubs: 1921–1922
• 6 clubs: 1922–1923
• 5 clubs: 1923–1924
• 8 clubs: 1924–1925
• 7 clubs: 1925–1926
• 4 clubs: 1926–1927
• 7 clubs: 1927–1928
• 3 clubs: 1928–1929
• 5 clubs: 1929–1930
• 4 clubs: 1930–1933
• 2 clubs: 1933–1934
• 7 clubs: 1934–1935
• 3 clubs: 1935–1936
• 4 clubs: 1936–1945
• 7 clubs: 1945–1946
• 8 clubs: 1946–1964
• 7 clubs: 1964–1965
• 6 clubs: 1965–1967
• 8 clubs: 1967–1971
• 10 clubs: 1971–1980
• 8 clubs: 1980–1988
• 9 clubs: 1988–1991
• 10 clubs: 1991–2011
• 12 clubs: 2011–2017
• 14 clubs: 2017–2020
• 16 clubs: 2020–2021
• 12 clubs: 2021–2022
• 14 clubs: 2022–2024
• 12 clubs: 2024–

In a Premier League the league format, which will come into being from the 2024–25 season, the Maltese Premier League will be made up of 12 teams and be split into an Opening Round and Closing Round in a way that is similar to domestic footballing systems used in South America. ^{[3] [4]} The Opening Round will see each of the 12 teams play each other once before the league is then split between a Top 6 and a Bottom 6, allowing for the teams in each of those splits to play each other another time. Once the ranking is set, each team will return to 0 points and start from scratch in the Closing Round, where the same process will be repeated. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. The club with the most points is crowned champions. Suppose two teams are level on points at the end of the season (to decide champions, for relegation or for UEFA competitions). In that case, there will be a play-off to decide the finishing order of the teams. If three or more teams are tied on points (to determine champions, for relegation or UEFA competitions), teams are ranked by Head-to-head points and the best two teams will play a play-off. The four lowest placed teams are relegated into the Challenge League

Clubs finishing the season in the top positions of the Premier League are granted qualification to compete in one of UEFA's European competitions. This is determined by Malta's position in the UEFA coefficient ranking system.

The league winner qualifies for the first qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League. The second- and third-placed teams qualify for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. An additional Europa Conference League place is available through the country's domestic cup competition, the FA Trophy. If the winner of the FA Trophy qualifies for Europe through their league position, the fourth-placed team in the league qualifies for the UEFA Europa Conference League's first qualifying round.

League committees

The Premier Division Standing Committee (PDSC) is a body composed of the Premier League club presidents who represent their club on a board. These do not have executive powers but are a formal body that has official influence with regards to rules, regulations and issues that relate to the league. From time to time the committee makes proposals to the respective and MFA bodies for approval.

Venues

Ta' Qali Tony Bezzina Stadium Victor Tedesco Stadium Gozo Stadium	Ta' Qali	Ta' Qali	Paola	Hamrun	Xewkija
	Ta' Qali National Stadium	Centenary Stadium	Tony Bezzina Stadium	Victor Tedesco Stadium	Gozo Stadium
	Capacity: 16,997	Capacity: 3,000	Capacity: 2,968	Capacity: 1,962	Capacity: 1,644

Clubs

Seasons in Maltese Premier League

Valletta

Hibernians

Floriana

Sliema

Ħamrun

Birkirkara

Rabat Ajax

St. George's F.C.

Mosta

Marsa

Naxxar Lions

Tarxien Rainbows

Żurrieq

Pietà

Qormi

Gżira

Msida Saint-Joseph

Balzan

Żebbuġ Rangers

Marsaxlokk

St. Andrews

Żabbar St. Patrick

Melita

Senglea

Lija

Mqabba

Vittoriosa Stars

Gudja United

Santa Lucia

Sirens

Pembroke

Xgħajra T.

Żejtun

Dingli Swallows

Ghaxaq

Mellieħa

Gozo

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Location of Maltese clubs played in Maltese Premier League

37 teams have taken part in the Maltese Premier League since the 1945-46 season (i.e. the season that introduced promotion and relegation, and during which the MFA changed the rules of the clubs that every locality they have to represent one club) until the 2024-25 season. Hibernians F.C. is the only team that has played Maltese Premier League football every season. Teams in bold participate in the 2024-25 season.

• 80 seasons: Hibernians F.C.
• 79 seasons: Floriana F.C. , Valletta F.C.
• 78 seasons: Sliema Wanderers F.C.
• 70 seasons: Ħamrun Spartans F.C.
• 59 seasons: Birkirkara F.C.
• 28 seasons: Rabat Ajax F.C., St. George's F.C.
• 20 seasons: Naxxar Lions F.C.
• 18 seasons: Mosta F.C.
• 17 seasons: Gżira United F.C. , Marsa F.C.
• 16 seasons: Pietà Hotspurs F.C., Qormi F.C., Tarxien Rainbows F.C., Żurrieq F.C.
• 14 seasons: Msida St. Joseph F.C.
• 13 seasons: Balzan F.C.
• 12 seasons: Marsaxlokk F.C.
• 11 seasons: Żebbuġ Rangers F.C.
• 10 seasons: Żabbar St. Patrick F.C. , Melita F.C. , St. Andrews
• 6 seasons: Senglea Athletic F.C.
• 5 seasons: Gudja United F.C., Lija Athletic F.C., Mqabba F.C., Santa Lucia F.C., Vittoriosa Stars F.C., Sirens F.C.
• 2 seasons: Pembroke Athleta F.C., Xgħajra Tornadoes F.C.
• 1 season: Dingli Swallows F.C., Għaxaq F.C., Gozo F.C. , Mellieħa S.C., Żejtun Corinthians F.C.

• Teams in italics are defunct.

Champions

Main article: List of Maltese football champions

In total, ten clubs have won the Maltese championship, including titles in the old First Division which was replaced in 1980 by the Premier League. ^[5] Of the winners, three clubs have been champions more than 20 times: Sliema Wanderers (26 titles), Floriana (26 titles), and Valletta (25 titles).

The honour of Golden Stars was introduced in football to recognize sides that have won multiple championships. In Malta, clubs are permitted to place a golden star above their crest for every ten national championships won. Sliema Wanderers, Floriana and Valletta boast two golden stars, and Hibernians and Ħamrun Spartans have one golden star placed above their crest on their jerseys.

Club	Winners [5]	Runners-up	Third Place	Winning years
Sliema Wanderers	26	31	19	1919–20 , 1922–23 , 1923–24 , 1925–26 , 1929–30 , 1932–33 , 1933–34, 1935–36, 1937–38 , 1938–39 , 1939–40, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1956–57 , 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66 , 1970–71, 1971–72, 1975–76, 1988–89, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05
Floriana	26	14	11	1909–10 , 1911–12 , 1912–13 , 1920–21 , 1921–22 , 1924–25 , 1926–27 , 1927–28, 1928–29 , 1930–31 , 1934–35 , 1936–37, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1961–62 , 1967–68 , 1969–70, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1976–77 , 1992–93, 2019–20
Valletta	25	17	20	1914–15 , 1931–32 , 1944–45, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1989–90, 1991–92 , 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2010–11 , 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
Hibernians	13	14	14	1960–61, 1966–67 , 1968–69, 1978–79, 1980–81 , 1981–82 , 1993–94, 1994–95, 2001–02, 2008–09, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2021–22
Ħamrun Spartans	10	11	13	1913–14, 1917–18 , 1946–47, 1982–83 , 1986–87 , 1987–88, 1990–91, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24
Birkirkara	4	9	10	1999–2000, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2012–13
Rabat Ajax	2	1	1	1984–85, 1985–86
St. George's	1	4	5	1916–17
Marsaxlokk	1	1	1	2006–07
The King's Own Malta Regiment	1	0	0	1918–19

Bold teams are currently in the Maltese Premier League.

Italic: Season Unbeaten.

League appearances

Player	Matches
Mario Muscat	529
Andrew Cohen	508
Roderick Briffa	491
Paul Fenech	487
David Camilleri	484
Clayton Failla	470
Gilbert Agius	453
Ivan Woods	446
Brian Said	429
Tyrone Farrugia	425
Malcolm Licari	425
Stefan Sultana	424
Jeffrey Chetcuti	414
Manolito Micallef	400

Bold denotes still active players.

References

1. "UEFA Country Ranking 2019". kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl. July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on May 10, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
2. "The Premier League Is 25 years old". The Malta Independent. August 14, 2005. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
3. Galea, Albert (April 24, 2024). "New Premier League explained: 'New format will not be damnation or salvation of Maltese football". Malta Independent.
4. Camilleri, Valhmor (April 13, 2023). "Number of Premier League teams down to 12 from 2024-25". SportsDesk. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
5. "Malta - List of Champions and Runners-Up". RSSSF . May 2, 2018. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2018.

External links

• Malta Football Association (archived 28 February 2017)
• League321.com – Maltese football league tables, records and statistics database
• List of champions and runners-up – RSSSF