The FA to sponsor new Malta FA Trophy

This edition of the FA Trophy will be the the last one for the trophy which was presented by The Football Association to the Malta Football Association as a gift in 1933 as a new trophy, which will once again be sponsored by The FA, will be used as from next season. The FA Trophy was a gift of the English FA in 1933 after a number of pro-British Maltese supporters travelled to Rome to support England in a game against Italy. In recognition, the Football Association donated a silver trophy to be played on the model of the FA Cup.

Addressing the Council of the Malta Football Association on Tuesday, MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo that the time had come for the trophy to be replaced following the damages sustained over the years. He revealed that what had started as a casual discussion with the chairman of The FA Greg Dyke during the UEFA Top Executive Programme meeting last September developed into an offer by The FA to finance a new trophy.

Darmanin Demajo said that to build a replica of the current FA Trophy would have been far too expensive. World-renowned trophy maker and silversmiths, Thomas Lyte, who have designed and created the FA Cup, the 6 Nations Rugby and the Rugby World Cup trophies, the Davis Cup in tennis and the Ryder Cup in golf, among the several other cups and trophies, have been entrusted with the job. The new FA Trophy, made in silver, will cost around £25,000 and an exact replica which will be silver-plated will be retained by winners.

The MFA President announced that the design, which was been unanimously approved by the MFA Executive Committee, will be revealed during the MFA Awards ceremony on May 20 while the official presentation will be held at Wembley Stadium in October before the World Cup qualifier between England and Malta. The new trophy will therefore be presented for the first time in May 2017.

The current FA Trophy will be be restored and will be put on display at the MFA Headquarters. A trophy identical to the current FA Trophy was presented by The FA to the Trinidad & Tobago Football Association and is also called the FA Trophy and played on the same format.