The myriad of projects and initiatives, along with the administrative work undertaken by the Malta Football Association during season 2024-2025 came into focus during the ongoing General Assembly, being held at the Centenary Hall.
Presenting the Administrative Report which was unanimously approved by the Assembly, Dr Maria Azzopardi, the Malta FA General Secretary, highlighted the main events and activities that marked another challenging but rewarding season for the Association.
UEFA National Associations Division Director Thierry Favre and FIFA Member Associations Regional Coordinator Vasco Stock Da Cunha were in attendance for the General Assembly.
Photo courtesy of Malta FA
The launch of the 125th anniversary celebrations, culminating with the forthcoming inauguration of the National Football Centre (NFC) at Ta’ Qali, the finalisation of a new strategy document following the success of the first ever strategy for the period 2021-24, and the achievements of the Malta Women’s National Team represent the stand-out points of the 2024-25 season.
“This is the first Administrative Report that I have been directly involved in and the element that struck me the most is that when one translates these pages into the everyday work that is done, one realises everyone’s constant work and involvement, both of those individuals in the highest leadership positions, and furthermore at administrative levels, both within the MFA and all of its members,” Dr Azzopardi explained.
The General Assembly also emphasised the Malta FA’s significantly-improved financial performance during 2024, the appointment of Emilio De Leo as Head Coach of the National Teams, together with his coaching staff, as well as new milestones in the refereeing sector and new Memoranda of Understanding in support of various Member Associations.
125th Anniversary Celebrations
The Administrative Report details the ongoing initiatives and activities commemorating the Malta FA’s 125th anniversary celebrations. The programme of events reflects the Malta FA’s commitment to celebrate the history of the Association while embracing the present and future with diverse activities, from grassroots right up to club football and the national teams. These include Street Football in the City activities and inclusion festivals, educational initiatives for schoolchildren and the launch of a special anniversary national team’s shirt.
The Jubilee Cup is open to Member Clubs and Member Associations, even those at amateur and recreational level, as they compete for the milestone trophy. There will be two knock-out tournaments, for men’s and women’s teams, leading to the finals which are scheduled to take place on 8th December, 2025 at the National Stadium.
National Football Centre
The report also put a spotlight on the progress of works on the newly-constructed National Football Centre which is expected to be inaugurated in the coming weeks.
The centre will feature top-level football facilities for the national teams and Maltese football in general, together with a Category 1 stadium that will be able to host international matches at youth and U21 level while also boosting the country’s sports tourism potential. This means that another landmark project in the first Malta FA strategy will be completed during the year the Association celebrates its milestone 125th anniversary.
Transition to new strategy – ‘Forward Together’
During her address, Dr Azzopardi explained the key points of Malta FA’s second strategy. The new strategy, titled ‘Forward Together’ has been compiled following studies and discussions with the team at UEFA Grow. It seeks to build on the work done in the previous four years, primarily focusing on sustainable operations. Over 95 per cent of the goals and objectives set out in the first strategy ‘We Can Perform Better’ have been implemented.
The new strategy will also continue to prioritise areas such as social impact, with special emphasis on the environment and inclusion, together with further agreements with Member Associations.
Improved financial performance in 2024
As announced in the First Ordinary General Assembly of 2025 in April, the Malta FA’s audited accounts for 2024 showed a marked improvement in the Association’s financial situation, highlighted by the surplus of income over expenditure for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Total income reached the €13 million mark, a minimal increase from 2023, yet the Malta FA’s diligent approach prompted a marked decrease in annual expenditure, dropping to just over €11.7 million.
The 2024 financial report confirmed that the Association’s recovery plan, introduced in 2022 to mitigate the financial challenges brought about by the pandemic, is paying off.
Women’s National Team secures UNWL promotion
Dr Azzopardi singled out the achievements of the Women’s National Team in winning promotion from League C of the UEFA Women’s Nations League to League B, under the guidance of coach Manuela Tesse who extended her contract earlier this year.
Malta sealed promotion to League B following a 1-0 win over Cyprus in a match played at the National Stadium on 30th May, emulating their success in the first edition of the UEFA Women’s Nations League. The encounter attracted a crowd of 1,205 spectators, a record attendance for a Women’s National Team match in Malta, surpassing the previous record set in April 2024 against Portugal (1,026).
Appointment of new coaches
At the start of the year, the Malta FA appointed Italian Emilio De Leo as Head Coach of the National Teams, together with a new coaching staff, signalling a new direction for the team.
Additionally, Davide Mazzotta, who had served as assistant coach and also interim coach of the National Team was named coach of the Malta U21 National Team.
New milestones in refereeing sector
In January 2025, the Referees Committee announced that a record of 18 Maltese match officials had been nominated on the FIFA Panel. Furthermore, throughout the season, there was also increased collaboration with international experts to continue strengthening the refereeing sector, a vital component of Maltese football.
The Malta FA is in contact with FIFA and also IFAB regarding a pilot project known as Football Video Support Trials, which is currently undergoing preliminary studies.
Support for Member Associations through new MoUs
During the year, the Malta FA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), covering a four-year period, with 13 Member Associations, most of which focus on recreational and amateur football.
The level of support reached a total of €340,000 annually, covering expenses related to match officials, pitch rentals, and services provided by paramedics during matches.
Amendments to Regulations
During the General Assembly, a number of amendments to the Malta FA regulations were approved:
Section 1 – Statute Malta FA
Article 27 – Elections
The regulation stating that at least one of the Malta FA Vice President positions is filled by a female candidate has been removed. The General Assembly approved this amendment along with the associated revision to the composition of the Executive Board (Article 34).
Article 61 – Appeals Board
It was proposed that the composition of the Appeals Board or the Panel of Substitute Members would now also include a former referee who has not been active as a match official for the past two years. The General Assembly approved this amendment.
Section 7 – Rules Governing Competitions
Article 7 – Rules Governing the Premier League
It was proposed that the direct encounter rule will no longer apply in situations where two or more teams finish with the same number of points at the end of the following phases:
Opening Round Phase 1
Opening Round Phase 2
Closing Round Phase 1
Closing Round Phase 2
Example: if teams are tied on points and the ranking affects a critical classification, such as:
Deciding who qualifies for the Top 6 or Bottom 6 at the end of Phase 1, or determining who finishes first, second, 11th, or 12th at the end of Phase 2, a decider match will be held in accordance with Article 35 of the Malta FA Competition Rules.
This amendment was also approved by the General Assembly.