The Malta FA’s youth football reform proposal, under the name GoPRO, was unveiled during the Third Ordinary General Assembly on Tuesday evening, marking an important step towards reshaping the development of young players and strengthening the foundations of Maltese football.
Built around the ambition of taking players ‘From First Kick to First Team’, GoPRO introduces a comprehensive framework designed to encourage more children to take up football, keep them involved in the game for longer and provide clearer opportunities for progression into senior football.
Photo courtesy of Malta FA
The reform addresses several challenges facing the local game, including the relatively low proportion of the population affiliated with football and the declining number of young people in Malta. With just over 15,000 people affiliated with the Malta FA, representing approximately 2.75% of the population, the Association aims to significantly broaden participation and create a more sustainable football environment.
Commenting on the proposal during the General Assembly, Malta FA Senior Vice President Dr Matthew Paris highlighted the need for further focus on youth development, providing a path to senior football.
“Malta has fewer young people every year, so we cannot afford to lose a single player. GoPRO means more playing time, keeping young people in the game for longer, and giving every player a clear route into senior football, wherever they start. From first kick to first team.”
“This is a proposal, and we want clubs, academies, schools, coaches, parents and players to help us shape it before consultation closes in February 2027.”
GoPRO is built around three main priorities: More Playing Time, More Retention, and More Options, which together underpin the reform’s approach to youth football development.
A more accessible entry into football
One of the main objectives of GoPRO is to provide children with more opportunities to enter football, regardless of their starting point.
For children aged between six and 12, the reform introduces three pathways within the Foundation stage: the Club Programme Pathway (CPP), operated by Malta FA-registered clubs; the Independent Programme Pathway (IPP), operated by private academies; and the Schools Programme Pathway (SPP), which will cater for children outside the other two programmes, with teachers supported through a Malta FA-endorsed coaching module.
The framework will also allow children to hold a primary registration with a club and a secondary registration with an academy, providing greater flexibility and opportunities to participate in football activities.
All pathways will converge at Under-13 level, when players will register with a club and participate in season-long Malta FA festivals at Under-13 and Under-14 level, before entering competitive youth football from Under-15 onwards.
A national football curriculum will also support coaches throughout the Foundation and Youth stages, with specific learning outcomes for players aged six to 12 and 13 to 17, respectively. While adoption of the curriculum will be voluntary, it will be linked to pathway licensing, competition access and funding opportunities.
A new structure for youth competitions
GoPRO will introduce a three-tier competition structure at Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19/2021 level, giving clubs greater flexibility to select the environment that best suits their players.
The proposed structure will consist of:
- Elite: Featuring 10 clubs and 23 matches per club at Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 level.
- Development: Featuring 14 clubs and 19 matches per club at Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 level.
- Regional: Featuring 21 clubs divided into Northern and Southern sections at Under-15, Under-17 and Under-21 level, followed by play-offs.
There will be no promotion or relegation between the three tiers, allowing clubs to select their preferred level at the beginning of each season according to their resources and the needs of their players.
Development and Regional teams will also have the opportunity to compete in a dedicated cup competition until December, with the two finalists joining the 10 Elite teams in the National Youth Cup.
The reform will also provide additional challenges for Malta’s youth national teams, with the Under-15 National Team participating in the Under-17 National Youth Cup, the Under-17 side competing in the Under-19 National Youth Cup, and the Under-19 National Team taking part in the Malta FA Trophy, the senior knockout competition.
Strengthening the transition into senior football
A key element of GoPRO is addressing the transition from youth football to the senior game, ensuring that talented players are not lost during one of the most important stages of their development.
The framework introduces four complementary mechanisms to provide opportunities for players between the ages of 19 and 22 to progress into senior football, across all levels from the Malta Premier League to National League 2.
These include a direct step-up pathway for players from Elite Under-19, Development Under-20 and Regional Under-21 competitions into senior squads; the homegrown player rule for players aged 19 and 20; dual registration arrangements for players aged 20 and 21, allowing them to gain senior football experience with another club while retaining their original club registration; and the introduction of B teams in National League 1.
The latter will be introduced through a pilot project in the 2027/28 season, involving two clubs fielding B teams composed of homegrown players under the age of 23.
The homegrown player rule, which provides clubs with additional non-homegrown player places when young homegrown players are on the pitch, has already been implemented in National Leagues 1 and 2 from the 2026/27 season.
A new approach to youth development and funding
GoPRO will also introduce a new framework to recognise and reward clubs that invest in the development and progression of young players.
The existing A, B and C grading system for nurseries will be phased out by 30 June 2028, with licensing requirements continuing to assess essential standards, including safeguarding, coaching qualifications and insurance.
A new Pathway Coefficient, based on a scoring system of up to 1,000 points, will assess the performance of youth development pathways through published criteria and information held in MFA registers. The coefficient will be calculated twice a year, taking into account factors including player retention and the progression of young players into senior football.
In parallel, the Malta FA will double its annual Youth Development Fund from €250,000 to €500,000, with funding allocated exclusively to licensed pathways.
The distribution will be based on three components: 30% shared equally among eligible pathways, 60% allocated according to Pathway Coefficient points and 10% awarded in recognition of improvement. An annual funding cap of €25,000 will apply to each pathway.
Two pilot initiatives in Elite youth competitions
The reform will also introduce two pilot initiatives aimed at enhancing the competitive experience and development of young players.
In the Under-15 Elite competition, matches that finish level will proceed to a penalty shoot-out, with two points awarded to the winning team and one point to the losing team. The initiative is intended to provide players with additional opportunities to experience pressure situations and develop their ability to handle decisive moments.
Meanwhile, in the Under-17 Elite competition, a successful protest will result in a replay rather than an automatic award of three points, reinforcing the principle that matches should ultimately be decided on the pitch.
Implementation and the way forward
Following the General Assembly’s unveiling, the Malta FA will embark on a consultation process involving all relevant stakeholders, including clubs, academies, schools, coaches, parents and players. This process will run until February 2027, allowing the Association to gather feedback and further support the implementation of the reform.
The first elements of GoPRO are scheduled to come into effect during the 2027/28 season, with full implementation targeted for the 2028/29 season.
Through GoPRO, the Malta FA is seeking to establish a more accessible, competitive and sustainable youth football structure, one that places player development at its centre and provides opportunities for every child to progress according to their abilities and aspirations.
