The MFA Youth Academy has been invited to take part in an international tournament for youths which is being played in Italy between 31st May and the 3rd of June 2012. The ‘Torneo Citta di Cairo Montenotte (22nd Edition)’ is being staged in collaboration with CONI, the FIGC and the Comune of Cairo Montenotte. The event has attracted 32 teams of youngsters between the ages of 13 and 14 years. A squad of 21 players born 1998 from the M.F.A. Academy will travel to Italy to participate in this tournament.

New Malta national coach Pietro Ghedin was officially presented during a press conference at the Centenary Hall, Ta’ Qali.

MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo said that although the appointment of a national coach usually causes a stir, this was not the case in the appointment of Pietro Ghedin as from the feedback he got, many agreed with his appointment, considering it a “case of continuation.”

Pietro Ghedin will be taking over as the new Malta national coach on Thursday. This was announced by MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo during a meeting of the Council of the Malta Football Association.

Ghedin agreed a three-year-and-a-half deal which will see him lead the Malta national team in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the EURO 2016 qualifiers.

Northern Ireland won the sixteenth edition of the Malta International Under 17 Tuurnament after defeating Malta 2-0 on Thursday. The Irish ended their commitments on six points together with both Romania and Malta but had a better goal-average than the latter two.

Josh Doherty put the Irish ahead on 13 minutes and Liam Donnelly doubled the score on the 50th.

Malta lost two places in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking and now is ranked 150th.

Among the other European countries, Malta is ranked 51st. Lying just ahead of Malta are Liechtenstein (129, up 8), Iceland (131, down 10), Cyprus (133, down 4), Kazakhstan (137, up 5) and Moldova (142, up 1). Andorra and San Marino are ranked 205th.