'Iconic' Maltese football club back at the top in Australia

Mark Sultana, president of Caroline Springs George Cross Football Club, wears his passion for his team, and his Maltese identity, on his sleeve.

“Whether we live abroad or not, we are Maltese,” the second-generation Maltese Australian says.

Sultana is in Malta together with the club’s head of strategic development Adam Farrugia Borg, having just entered into a four-year partnership with Visit Malta, the Malta Tourism Authority’s marketing arm.

The Georgies, as they are affectionately known, are intrinsically linked to Malta, having been formed in 1947 by immigrants to provide a football club for the Maltese community in Melbourne, and named after the George Cross medal given to Malta by the British in recognition of its collective bravery during World War II.

“It’s an iconic and extremely well-known club in Victorian and Australian football. But it isn’t just a football club – it’s a cultural institution for Maltese people abroad,” Sultana says.

Almost 80 years after its founding, Maltese heritage still plays a key role at the club, which plays in red and white stripes. There are strict rules about who can sit on our board. Members must have Maltese heritage or strong Maltese ties.

Arguably the club’s greatest achievement was winning the Australia Cup – the equivalent of the FA Cup or Coppa Italia – in 1964.

Farrugia Borg says the partnership with Visit Malta would not have been possible a few years ago.

“Back then, we wouldn’t have approached the Maltese government – we weren’t in a position to give anything back.”

A club with history and ambitions

A period of decline had seen the club drop down to the fourth tier, while facilities were ageing and no longer fit for a club with its history and ambitions.

“Like many clubs do, we lost our way,” says Sultana, who was appointed president in 2019.

A new leadership group secured a joint venture with a Victorian local council, resulting in a $17 million investment in a new, state-of-the-art facility. Since 2019, its home ground has been the 3,000-seater City Vista Recreation Reserve.

“With the support of Maltese businesses, we raised the necessary funds. We appointed a full-time general manager, who is also Maltese, and our board consists of five executive members. Since taking over, we’ve rebuilt the club from the ground up.”

Despite two years of COVID lockdowns in Victoria, the club achieved four promotions, with one later annulled. In August, George Cross achieved promotion to the National Premier Leagues Victoria (NPL Victoria), the state’s top-tier league.

“Now we’re in a position where thousands will attend games in person and tens of thousands will watch through livestreams. Over a 28-day period, our social media reached more than half a million views”, Farrugia Borg says.

As part of the deal with MTA, Visit Malta’s branding will appear on the team’s jersey – together with Maltese businesses that sponsor the club – as well as around the stadium and social media.

From left: Georgies president Mark Sultana, head of strategic development Adam Farrugia Borg and MTA CEO Carlo Micallef.

'Partnership not just for the club'

“Branding doesn’t get any clearer than the words ‘Visit Malta’. It says exactly what it is. This partnership is not just for the club. It’s for the Maltese community abroad and for Malta itself. Australia, Canada and New Zealand are far away – that’s why reaching audiences in Australasia and Asia is so significant.”

On its part, the MTA is hoping to leverage the collaboration to promote Malta as a premier tourism destination within the Australian market, while further strengthening the long-standing cultural ties between Malta and its diaspora community abroad.

“As Malta’s tourism strategy is shifting focus to attract higher-yielding tourism from long-haul markets, Australia is definitely a key long-haul source market for Malta, presenting strong opportunities to engage both the Maltese community and the broader travel audience, with significant potential for high-value tourism,” MTA CEO Carlo Micallef said during the signing of the agreement.

Sultana and Farrugia Borg are excited about the future.

“This partnership has generated a lot of interest. We haven’t even kicked a ball yet in the NPL and it’s already being talked about nationally. The CEO of Football Victoria reached out to say what a big moment this was for the club.

“What matters most to us is pride – pride in Malta, pride in the diaspora, and pride in what this community has achieved. This isn’t political. It’s about culture, identity and opportunity,” Sultana says.

The club is also developing a digital membership model for people abroad, linking football support with travel and tourism opportunities.

My dream is to see Malta qualify for the World Cup- Adam Farrugia Borg

“Malta can be a hub – not just a destination – especially for people coming from Australia, North America and Asia,” Farrugia Borg says.

Further grassroots collaborations are also being discussed, with the possibility of young Maltese players heading to Australia to gain experience in a stronger league.

“I’ll say this openly: my dream is to see Malta qualify for the World Cup. That means identifying players abroad and working together. Other smaller nations have done it. That’s a longer-term conversation but it’s something we’re exploring.”

A friendly between George Cross and a Maltese team is also being talked about, although the logistics of organising such a game are complicated due to the distance and the fact that the Maltese and Victorian leagues do not align.

While Sultana was born in Australia, he and his family are no strangers to Malta.

“We come every year. We have a very strong emotional and cultural connection. Every time we visit, I make my kids go to The Malta Experience.”