The Malta Football Association and the Malta Premier League have signed a joint venture to establish a league entity that will manage Malta’s top-flight football championship.

The five-year agreement was signed by Malta FA president Bjorn Vassallo and Joseph Muscat, the chairperson of the Malta Premier League, during a news conference at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.

The deal will see the top flight be slashed from 14 to 12 teams starting from the 2024/25 season, as the two entities seek to expand commercial opportunities and attract greater audiences to Maltese football.

Vassallo said that the signing of the agreement was a historical moment in Maltese football.

“This is a very significant moment in the history of Maltese football,” Vassallo said.

“For the first time, the Malta FA is entering a partnership with the Malta Premier League and the member clubs that form part of it. From when this agreement will come into effect, 115 years will have passed since the first championship in 1909-10 and for us, this is an opportunity that if we make the most of it, the Premier League will enjoy great benefit.

Vassallo also said that the MFA is in talks with the Sports Ministry to introduce new club ownership models that would allow local top-flight football clubs to restructure and adopt more professional ownership structures. 

Read full story on sport.timesofmalta.com