A premature conclusion to all 2019-20 domestic competitions is looming after the Malta Football Association Executive Committee last week decided to bring to an end to all low-tier championships.

As it stands, the only competitions still active are the BOV Premier League, with six match-days left, and the FA Trophy which arrived in the semi-final stage.

The EXCO decision also effected the BOV Women’s League, alongside the Women’s Knock-Out, U-19’s and U-15’s leagues, meaning that there will be no women’s football on our shores until at least late September or early October, should the Women’s Super Cup be held as curtain raiser to the new season and not scheduled for December like in 2019.

This comes after the Malta women’s national team Women’s Euro qualifier against Denmark on April 14 and the away trips to Georgia, on June 6, and Israel, pencilled for September 22, have also been rescheduled to another date by UEFA. 

Prior to the unexpected hiatus, Birkirkara were leading the women’s league with 37 points after 13 games. With a six-point lead over second-placed Mġarr United and with just one direct encounter left, they were in the driving seat to seal their fourth successive title.

Nonetheless, Stripes’ club official Ayrton Galea still believes this was the best possible decision.

“We understand the decision taken by the Malta Football Association and the health authorities,” he told the Sunday Times of Malta.

“The league standings provide a clear picture that we were the best team and it was only a matter of when we are going to win the league.

“We hope that our huge investment is rewarded with the league title.”

As regards participation to UEFA club competitions this summer, the European governing body of football issued guidelines for those who prematurely ended their championships, which said that the member association has to submit the names of the clubs for next season’s UEFA competitions by July 20.

Should Birkirkara be the UEFA Women’s Champions League participant in the 2020-21 season, this would be their third successive participation.

However, there is still a lot of uncertainity about the start of the competition as Europe’s governing body is still unable to indicate any timings given that the fate of the 2019-20 season has yet to be determined. 

The COVID-19 pandemic also disrupted Birkirkara’s plans to hold a high-profile friendly against Serie A Femminile champions Juventus, which was set to be announced this month.

Despite the difficult situation, Galea still thinks that delaying a decision on the championship fate would have a negative effect on the clubs.

“Delaying the decision about the league’s fate would have only meant increasing the expenses without any official word about whether we would return on the field or not.”

Alternative solution

On the other hand, Mġarr United club official Mary Muscat, said that the Covid-19 has affected the club financially because their fund raising programme, which is a strong part of their yearly budget, had to be postponed and therefore they need to evaluate their financial strategies ahead of the new campaign.

“I still believe this was the best decision for everyone,” Muscat said.

“Even though I was expecting this decision, it is still difficult to fathom especially when one thinks at all the effort and commitment to run this club and to the passion that the players showed towards Mġarr, which is now all in vain for this year.”

Meanwhile, Swieqi United women’s team club official Maria Azzopardi believes that there could have been an alternative solution to the decision taken by the EXCO, keeping in mind that the health of the players and team personnel is still a priority over any type of football activity.

The Oranges were on course to have a very successful season as the seniors team was competing for the Women’s Knock-Out, the U-19’s was challenging for the title while the U-15’s girls were leading the league while also in the running in the KO competition.

“Given that the women’s game has an amateur status, I think that one could have waited before ending the 2019/2020 season,” Dr Azzopardi said.

“In my opinion, the U-19’s and U-15’s competitions could have been resumed in the months of August or September since they have no UEFA competitions, Covid-19 permitting, and then they would be granted a one month pause before the 2020-21 commitments.

“If resuming any competition is not possible, then I believe that the title should be awarded to the leading team but in the case of first and second-placed teams with a margin not larger than three points between each other, there should be a one-off game to decide the league.

“I believe that such decisions would adhere the fact the women’s game is amateur and would favour sportsmanship as well.”

Elsewhere across Europe, there have been several countries who have terminated their women’s league namely Austria, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Israel and Portugal.

In addition, the Dutch league has also come to a halt with Rachel Cuschieri’s PSV Vrouwen denied the chance to win the title while given access to next season’s Women’s Champions League.

Meanwhile in Italy, the senior women leagues in which Malta internationals Emma Lipman, Shona Zammit, Ylenia Carabott and Martina Borg ply their trade, are still left without a decision about whether the season will be concluded or not.

On the other hand, Nicole Sciberras’ first year at Juventus has come to an end after the youth league was declared over by the Italian FA.