The Executive Committee of the Malta Football Association will decide on Monday whether the BOV Premier League and the FA Trophy 2019/20 will be completed or not.
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Malta Football Association had initially suspended competitions and eventually decided to terminate all league and knock-out competitions, excluding the BOV Premier League and FA Trophy.
Premier League clubs have contrasting views with Birkirkara, Gzira United and Valletta being in favour of playing the remaining six match-days; Balzan, Gudja United, Hamrun Spartans, Hibernians, Mosta, Santa Lucia, Senglea Athletic, Sirens, Sliema Wanderers and Tarxien Rainbows being in favour of stopping the competitions altogether while leaders Floriana abstained in the vote by the Premier League Standing Committee.
With six matches to go, Floriana lead the way with 41 points, followed by Valletta on 38, Hibernians 37 and Sirens 35. Birkirkara and Gzira United follow with 33 points and 32 points respectively. Balzan and Mosta lie on the 28-point mark, followed by Hamrun Spartans on 25, Sliema Wanderers and Gudja United on 24, Santa Lucia 23, Senglea Athletic 16 and Tarxien Rainbows, who had already been mathematically relegated, on 4.
MFA President Bjorn Vassallo and General Secretary Dr Angelo Chetcuti met the health authorities on Thursday as it is only the the health authorities which could give the go-ahead for training and competitions to resume. A medical protocol to be followed for training sessions and competitive matches, prepared by the MFA Medical Department led by Dr Kirill Micallef Stafrace, has been presented to health authorities.
In case, the MFA Executive Committee decides to terminate the season, there will be several issues to be decided, such as whether the honours will be awarded and whether there will be promotion and relegation to and from the various divisions.
However, it will be the Council of the Malta Football Association who will decide on this.
With regards to participation in UEFA club competitions, while urging National Associations and Leagues to explore all possible options to play all top domestic competitions to their natural conclusion, the European body stated that if this was not possible, it would require the National Association concerned to select clubs for the UEFA club competitions 2020/21 based on sporting merit in the 2019/20 domestic competitions. In that case, it would be up to Floriana to represent Malta in the UEFA Champions League while Valletta, Hibernians and Sirens would take part in the UEFA Europa League.