A South American twist on European football in the Mediterranean
In short: The Maltese Premier League is undergoing a structural revolution. Starting in the 2024–25 season, the league will adopt a unique format inspired by South American domestic systems, splitting into distinct rounds to heighten competition and redefine how champions are crowned.
Managed by the Malta Football Association, the Maltese Premier League is the nation's highest level of professional football. While it has been contested since 1909—originally as the First Division before rebranding in 1980—the league is currently undergoing a significant format shift. Beginning with the 2024–25 season, the competition will feature an Opening Round followed by a Closing Round. In the Opening Round, all 12 teams play each other once. The league then splits into a Top 6 and a Bottom 6 for the Closing Round, where teams within those specific brackets face off again.
The mechanics of this new system are rigorous: once the ranking is set after the first phase, every team's points return to zero for the Closing Round. Teams earn three points for a win and one for a draw, with no points awarded for losses. If teams remain tied on points at the end of the season regarding championships or relegation, the league employs specific tie-breaking rules: play-offs for two-way ties, and Head-to-head points followed by a play-off if three or more teams are level.
The stakes are high for both prestige and continental travel. The winner earns a spot in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round, while second and third places head to the UEFA Europa Conference League. Historically, Floriana has dominated the landscape with a record 27 titles. To mark such longevity, clubs can display golden stars on their jerseys for every ten championships won; currently, Sliema Wanderers and Valletta also boast two stars, while Hibernians and Ħamrun Spartans hold one.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Maltese Premier League
- Also: Wikidata — Maltese Premier League · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — 2000–01 Maltese Premier League · CC0
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