Minister for Tourism Jo Etienne Abela announced that thanks to an agreement between VisitMalta and the MFA, the Malta Tourism Authority will continue supporting Maltese clubs.
VisitMalta has supported local football teams that take part in official UEFA competitions through a financial incentive and once again, each club will be given an incentive of €15,000.
The local teams that will benefit from this incentive are Floriana FC in the UEFA Champions League, Ħamrun Spartans FC, Marsaxlokk FC and Valletta FC in the UEFA Conference League, Mġarr United FC in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Luxol St Andrews in the UEFA Futsal Champions League and Valletta FC in the UEFA Youth League. The aforementioned teams will have the VisitMalta brand on the kit that they will play with in UEFA competitions.
Minister Jo Etienne Abela said that this agreement is a clear demonstration of how the Government is always there to help sportsmen in every step of their journey even abroad. Dr Abela said that sport is no longer just a competition; it has become a powerful means for a country to promote its identity, strengthen its reputation and attract new opportunities.
“The geographical smallness of our country should never be an obstacle to the aspirations of Maltese sport. On the contrary, it should serve as a motivation for us to be more proactive and encourage more sports entities to go abroad. When they represent Malta abroad, they are not only promoting the Maltese flag, but they are also strengthening the reputation of our country and showing that, despite our size, we can compete and achieve success on an international level. When Maltese sport wins, all of Malta wins”, concluded Dr Abela.
MTA CEO Carlo Micallef said, “This collaboration further strengthens our vision of using sport as a strategic platform to promote Malta internationally. Maltese clubs competing in Europe are important ambassadors for our country, and through their exposure we are continuing to strengthen the VisitMalta brand in front of new audiences. Sports tourism has strong potential both economically and in the promotion of Maltese identity, and therefore the MTA remains committed to supporting initiatives that continue to position Malta as a dynamic, modern and attractive destination for the international market.”
For his part, MFA President Bjorn Vassallo said, “This initiative is a clear example of how collaboration between the MFA, the Ministry for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority can lead to concrete results for the good of Maltese football. This financial assistance is a direct investment in our member clubs, which will help them continue to strengthen their professionalism and face the challenges of European competitions with greater confidence. I thank the Ministry for Tourism and the MTA for their support and commitment to the development of Maltese football and the discipline of Futsal, so that the strategic goals can be achieved.”