Parliamentary secretary Dr Chris Said has been thinking about such a tournament since when he was GFA President. The main objective was to attract internal tourism in what otherwise would be quiet days. The Gozo Cup should provide top-level football which complements the GFA’s investment in its facilities.
The tournament kick-off on Friday with the semi-finals Gozo XI vs Hibernians and Valletta vs Birkirkara, kick-off at 18:00 and 20:00 respectively. If the result is still draw at the end of the ninety minutes, penalty kicks shall decide the issue.
The final will be held on Sunday at 15:00 while the final for third and fourth place will be held at 13:00. All matches will be held at the Gozo Stadium.
For Maltese supporters travelling to Gozo, a shuttle service will be provided from Mgarr Harbour to the Gozo Stadium and back for a fee of €1. The service will be provided between 15:45 and midnight on Friday and between noon and 19:00 on Sunday.
Tickets for the tournament, which include the ferry fee, will be available from the Gozo Channel ticket booth for €12 for those travelling without a car and €20 for those travelling with their car.
Parliamentary Secretary Dr Chris Said and GFA officials will be presenting a medal to each player and a trophy to each team after the finals.
Besides the Gozo Cup, which is planned to be an annual event, a number of tournaments for Maltese and Gozitan youth nurseries will be held as well.