Fans are facing mounting frustration ahead of Saturday’s Premier League final between eternal rivals Ħamrun and Birkirkara, as tickets sell out for what is expected to be one of the most well-attended matches in Maltese football league history.

Birkirkara FC and Ħamrun Spartans have been selling tickets at their respective clubhouses over the last few days, with supporters forming long lines to get their hands on a ticket. 

But with high demand, supporters lining up outside have been told to come back another day. 

The west (Enclosure) and east (Millennium) stands of the Ta’ Qali stadium are sold out, and now the two clubs are fast selling tickets for the national stadium’s north and south ends. 

Birkirkara and Ħamrun will face each other on Saturday to establish the 2024-2025 champions. 

Saturday evening will mark the end of the first season of a reformatted Premier League that sees the championship end in play-offs unless one team wins both portions of the regular season. 

Depending on the final league table, play-offs could require only a final or - like this year - a semi-final and final. 

Alan Abela, chairman of the Malta Premier League, said the new format has injected stimulus to Maltese football. 

“Saturday will be the best-attended local game in recent years,” he said, adding how the two semi-finals leading to Saturday’s game were also well attended. 

He said such big demand for tickets was unexpected, and this has led to some logistical hiccups, meaning that people would queue up for tickets but return home with nothing. 

At Birkirkara FC clubhouse, supporters were waiting to buy tickets as early as 2.30pm, ahead of the 6pm opening time. The club was forced to open doors earlier. 

Several fans expressed their frustration at the situation on social media. 

"There are people who want to go to watch the games, but it’s as if the tickets are being rationed out,” one supporter said on the Malta Premier’s Facebook profile. 

Others shared similar complaints, with one fan saying he waited an hour to get hold of a ticket only to be told to return the next day. Many said big local games such as Saturday’s need to be better organised. 

Abela said the two clubs, which first bought tickets from the Malta Football Association before selling them on to supporters, did not purchase enough tickets to meet demand. This meant they ran out of tickets while people were still standing in line. 

“At first, the tickets purchased by clubs were not refundable, and so, clubs were cautious about buying so many tickets,” he said. 

But all the tickets for the north and south stands were made available on Friday. He said clubs would be refunded for any unsold tickets. This has been done to ensure that no one standing in line is left without a ticket, Abela said. 

The tickets not held by the clubs by 7.30 pm were made available for general purchase online, he said. 

Kick off for the Ħamrun vs Birkirkara match at Ta' Qali stadium is at 6pm.