Thirty years ago, in August 1996, a small website dedicated to Maltese football went online. What started as a section within an unofficial Rabat Ajax website soon developed into the Maltese Soccer Web Site and, five years later, became maltafootball.com.
August 2026 therefore marks a special milestone — 30 years of providing news, results, information and statistics about Maltese football on the internet.
Back in 1996, the internet in Malta was still in its infancy. Websites were considerably simpler, news did not travel at anything close to today’s speed and following Maltese football online was something completely new.
The section dedicated to Rabat Ajax gradually developed into the Maltese Soccer Web Site, with the aim of providing a comprehensive source of information for followers of the local game. Coverage expanded to include all domestic leagues and competitions, the national teams, Maltese clubs in UEFA competitions, women’s and youth football and competitions in Gozo.
On the site’s fifth anniversary in August 2001, another important step was taken as the Maltese Soccer Web Site became maltafootball.com.
The name changed and the website itself would undergo several changes and redesigns over the years, reflecting the enormous developments in the way people use the internet. Desktop computers and dial-up connections eventually gave way to laptops, smartphones, social media and an age in which supporters expect news and results within seconds.
What has not changed is the objective behind the website: to provide followers of Maltese football with comprehensive, reliable and timely information about the game.
During these three decades, maltafootball.com has reported on countless league and cup matches, national-team fixtures, European ties, transfers, coaching changes and other developments across Maltese football. At the same time, the site’s archives have grown into a record of an important period in the history of the local game.
maltafootball.com reported about important about some outstanding results for the Malta national team such as the 2-1 win over Hungary in 2006, the 2-2 draw against Turkey in 2007, the away win over Armenia in 2013, the away win over Latvia in 2020, the 3-0 win over Cyprus in 2021 and the away win over Finland last November, apart from the record 7-1 victory over Liechtenstein in 2008 with five goals by Michael Mifsud; some fine performances, despite defeats, such as the game against Italy in Firenze in 2015 and England in Wembley Stadium in 2016 but also about big disappointments such as the failure to secure promotion from the UEFA Nations League and the huge defeats to Spain in 2019, Croatia and Slovakia in 2021 and the Netherlands in 2025. maltafootball.com was always present for the matches on home soil and for over twenty five matches away from home.
One could not forget to highlight the two promotions of the women’s national team in the UEFA Women’s Nations League and Hamrun Spartans’ achievement last season as they became the first Maltese club to reach the league stage of the UEFA Conference League.
For maltafootball.com, reaching this milestone would not have been possible without the support of all those who contributed in one way or another throughout the years — clubs, officials both from clubs and the association, players, coaches, fellow journalists, photographers and, above all, the thousands of readers who have visited the website from Malta and around the world.
Thirty years after that first page went online, maltafootball.com continues its journey.
A sincere thank you goes to everyone who has followed, supported and contributed to maltafootball.com since 1996.
