Gozo to host UEFA Regions Cup mini-tournament in 2016

Gozo will be hosting Group 1 of the UEFA Regions Cup Intermediate Round between the 5th and 9th October 2016. The draws for the Preliminary Round and Intermediate Round were held on Thursday.

The Malta representatives in the tournament will be facing the representatives of France, Ukraine and the winner of the Preliminary Round Group A which feature Scotland, Lithuania, Estonia and Sweden.

This will be the third time, Gozo will be hosting the tournament after finishing second in 2012 a 3-2 win over Rinuzi / Strong of Latvia, a 0-6 defeat to FC Olimp Moscow of Russia and a 2-2 draw with Ialoveni of Moldova and finishing third in 2014 after defeating Vaasa of Finland 2-0 but losing 1-2 to Ankara of Turkey and 1-3 to South Region of Russia. In 1999, Gozo took part in the competition but lost 0-4 to Zapadne Srbije of Yugoslavia, 0-6 to Israel and 2-8 to Macedonia of Greece.

Between 2000 and 2010, Malta was represented in the UEFA Regions Cup by the National Amateur Team.

Preliminary round draw
Group A (21-26 May): Scotland, Lithuania*, Estonia, Sweden
Group B (3-8 June): Kazakhstan, Greece, San Marino*, Wales

Intermediate round draw
Group 1 (5-9 October): France, Ukraine, Malta*, Winner preliminary round Group A
Group 2 (27 October – 1 November): Spain, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Winner preliminary round Group B
Group 3 (20-24 September): Russia, Serbia, Romania*, England
Group 4 (24-28 September): Portugal, Poland*, Latvia, Belarus
Group 5: Turkey, Northern Ireland, Moldova, Switzerland
Group 6: Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Slovakia
Group 7 (28 September-2 October): Italy*, Republic of Ireland (holders), Slovenia, FYR Macedonia
Group 8: Hungary*, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Finland

Final tournament
The eight group winners of the intermediate round will qualify for the final tournament. In principle, the finals will take place in the last two weeks of June 2017, hosted by one of the countries that qualify.