The BOV Super Cup between BOV Premier League champions Birkirkara and U*BET FA Trophy winners Hibernians will be played on Wednesday August 7th while the BOV Premier League will kick-off on the 17th August. This was revealed during a meeting of the Council of the Malta Football Association.
Between these two days, the national team and the Under-21 side will be in action in two friendly matches on August 14. The senior side faces Azerbaijan in Baku while the Under-21 side takes on Hungary in a friendly match away from home.
Unlike recent years, BOV Premier League matches will not be spread over three days – Fridays to Sundays or Saturdays to Mondays – but will be played only on Saturdays on Sundays. Four matches will be played on Saturdays at two different venues and two will be played on Sundays. In another weeks, two matches will be played on Saturday and four on Sunday. The Centenary Stadium will be included as one of the venues to host Premier League matches.
In the BOV First Division with the increase of the number of teams to fourteen, the schedule will probably feature one game on a Friday, two on a Saturday and four on a Sunday.
The BOV First Division, BOV Division and BOV Third Division leagues are expected to kick-off in September after the first round of the U*BET FA Trophy.
All MFA competitions will come to an end by the first week of May since Malta will be hosting the UEFA Under-17 Championship finals between the 9th and 21st May.
Photo: Copyright © Paul Zammit Cutajar
Meanwhile two important amendments were approved during Thursday’s Council meeting
The first one was related to the minimum age for the registration of players with nurseries. This has raised from 10 years to 12 years. Children, currently, must be 10 years old to officially register with a nursery but as from January 1, 2014, the minimum age for a player to register with a nursery has to be at least twelve years old.
Children who opt to register with a nursery by the end of this year will still be subject to the old rules regarding eligibility to move and transfer compensation.
Another important amendment was that regarding ‘early voting’ in case of the election of officials of the Malta Football Association.
A proposal to allow council members to vote in the election of the top officials eight days before the Annual General Meeting if they provide clear evidence that they will be abroad on the day of the Annual General Meeting was approved. This rule applies only for Council members and not for delegates since each club has two substitute delegates. This rule does not apply for the election of the Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee which is held annually.
This year’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled for July 20.
Apart from current president Norman Darmanin Demajo, former MFA vice-president Dr Peter Fenech is also expected to run for the post.
For the posts of vice-presidents, apart from the current vice-presidents Carmelo Bartolo, Ludovigo Micallef and Alex Manfre, current Head of Legal Department Dr Chris Bonnett and Executive Committee Member Donald Spiteri are expected to run for election.
Honorary Treasurer Antoine Portelli is not seeking re-election leaving Deputy Treasurer Ivan Mizzi possibly as the only candidate for the post.
The MFA Annual General Meeting will be held on July 20th at the Grand Hotel Excelsior. FIGC president Giancarlo Abete will be attending on behalf of UEFA.