Maltese Premier League

Maltese Premier League

Country	Malta
Confederation	UEFA
Founded	1909
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Maltese First Division
Domestic cup(s)	U*Bet FA Trophy
Current champions	Valletta (23rd title) (2015–16)
Most championships	Sliema Wanderers (26)
Website	MFA.com.mt
2016–17 Maltese Premier League

The Maltese Premier League, known as BOV Premier League for sponsorship reasons (colloquially known as Il-Kampjonat, Il-Lig, or Il-Premjer), is the top level league for football in Malta. The league was first competed in 1909. In the Maltese football system, there are three divisions under the Premier League, they are; the First, Second and Third divisions.

Prior to 1980, the top level of the Maltese Football League was known as the First Division; however, it was renamed the Premier League and has stayed so since, with the First Division (formerly known as the Second Division) one level lower.

At the end of the 2012–13 season, UEFA ranked the Maltese Premier League 44th out of 53 members in their coefficient calculation for UEFA club competitions.

Format

Each team plays each other three times. During every season, which is held between August and May, the 12 teams play against each other twice. Once each club had played 22 matches, each team has their points were halved (rounded up if the points don't equal a whole number, e.g. 31 points = 16 points when halved). Each team then plays each other once more after the halving of the points.

Premier League Standing Committee

The Premier League Standing Committee is a body composed of the Premier League club presidents who represent their club on a board. These do not have executive powers but are a formal body that has official influence with regards to rules, regulations and issues that relate to the league. From time to time the committee makes proposals to the respective and MFA bodies for approval.

UEFA rankings

Malta rose four places in the UEFA League Coefficient in 2010–11 and a further 3 in 2011–12, as a result they gained a slot in UEFA club competitions, effective from the 2012–13 season. The champions enter the second qualifying round of the Champions League, while the Maltese Cup winners and two further teams, based on league performance, enter the First Qualifying Round of the Europa League. Prior to the 2012–13, the Maltese champions entered the first qualifying round of the Champions league.

2016–17 Maltese Premier League teams

Balzan

Birkirkara

Floriana

Hibernians

Mosta

Qormi

Sliema Wanderers

Tarxien Rainbows

Valletta

Locations of the Maltese Premier League 2012–13 teams

• Balzan
• Birkirkara
• Floriana
• Gżira United (Promoted 2015–16 First Division '1st')
• Hamrun Spartans (Promoted 2015–16 First Division '2nd')
• Hibernians
• Luxol Saint Andrews
• Mosta
• Pembroke Athleta
• Sliema Wanderers
• Tarxien Rainbows
• Valletta

Champions

Here is a complete list of the past champions of the top level in Maltese football.^[1]

1909–10: Floriana 1910–11: No competition held 1911–12: Floriana 1912–13: Floriana 1913–14: Hamrun Spartans 1914–15: Valletta United 1915–16: No competition held 1916–17: St. George's 1917–18: Hamrun Spartans 1918–19: King's Own Malta Regiment 1919–20: Sliema Wanderers 1920–21: Floriana 1921–22: Floriana 1922–23: Sliema Wanderers 1923–24: Sliema Wanderers 1924–25: Floriana 1925–26: Sliema Wanderers 1926–27: Floriana 1927–28: Floriana 1928–29: Floriana 1929–30: Sliema Wanderers 1930–31: Floriana 1931–32: Valletta United 1932–33: Sliema Wanderers 1933–34: Sliema Wanderers 1934–35: Floriana 1935–36: Sliema Wanderers

1936–37: Floriana 1937–38: Sliema Wanderers 1938–39: Sliema Wanderers 1939–40: Sliema Wanderers 1940–41: Not held due to WWII 1941–42: Not held due to WWII 1942–43: Not held due to WWII 1943–44: Not held due to WWII 1944–45: Valletta 1945–46: Valletta 1946–47: Hamrun Spartans 1947–48: Valletta 1948–49: Sliema Wanderers 1949–50: Floriana 1950–51: Floriana 1951–52: Floriana 1952–53: Floriana 1953–54: Sliema Wanderers 1954–55: Floriana 1955–56: Sliema Wanderers 1956–57: Sliema Wanderers 1957–58: Floriana 1958–59: Valletta 1959–60: Valletta 1960–61: Hibernians 1961–62: Floriana 1962–63: Valletta

1963–64: Sliema Wanderers 1964–65: Sliema Wanderers 1965–66: Sliema Wanderers 1966–67: Hibernians 1967–68: Floriana 1968–69: Hibernians 1969–70: Floriana 1970–71: Sliema Wanderers 1971–72: Sliema Wanderers 1972–73: Floriana 1973–74: Valletta 1974–75: Floriana 1975–76: Sliema Wanderers 1976–77: Floriana 1977–78: Valletta 1978–79: Hibernians 1979–80: Valletta 1980–81: Hibernians 1981–82: Hibernians 1982–83: Hamrun Spartans 1983–84: Valletta 1984–85: Rabat Ajax 1985–86: Rabat Ajax 1986–87: Hamrun Spartans 1987–88: Hamrun Spartans 1988–89: Sliema Wanderers 1989–90: Valletta

1990–91: Hamrun Spartans 1991–92: Valletta 1992–93: Floriana 1993–94: Hibernians 1994–95: Hibernians 1995–96: Sliema Wanderers 1996–97: Valletta 1997–98: Valletta 1998–99: Valletta 1999–00: Birkirkara 2000–01: Valletta 2001–02: Hibernians 2002–03: Sliema Wanderers 2003–04: Sliema Wanderers 2004–05: Sliema Wanderers 2005–06: Birkirkara 2006–07: Marsaxlokk 2007–08: Valletta 2008–09: Hibernians 2009–10: Birkirkara 2010–11: Valletta 2011–12: Valletta 2012–13: Birkirkara 2013–14: Valletta 2014–15: Hibernians 2015–16: Valletta

Clubs by number of championships

Titles	Team
26	Sliema Wanderers
25	Floriana
23	Valletta
11	Hibernians
7	Hamrun Spartans
4	Birkirkara
2	Rabat Ajax
1	Marsaxlokk
1	St. George's
1	King's Own Malta Regiment

Top scorers

Year	Best scorers	Team	Goals
1994–95	Carl Saunders	Sliema Wanderers	18
1995–96	Aldrin Muscat	Sliema Wanderers	18
1996–97	Danilo Dončić	Valletta	32
1997–98	Joe Brincat	Birkirkara/Floriana	19
1998–99	Gilbert Agius	Valletta	20
1999–00	Michael Mifsud	Sliema Wanderers	21
2000–01	Michael Mifsud	Sliema Wanderers	30
2001–02	Danilo Dončić	Sliema Wanderers	32
2002–03	Danilo Dončić Michael Galea Adrian Mifsud	Sliema Wanderers Birkirkara Hibernians	18
2003–04	Danilo Dončić	Sliema Wanderers	19
2004–05	Andrew Cohen	Hibernians	21
2005–06	Michael Galea	Birkirkara	19
2006–07	Daniel Bogdanović	Marsaxlokk	31
2007–08	Sebastián Monesterolo	Valletta	19
2008–09	Terence Scerri	Hibernians	26
2009–10	Camilo	Qormi	24
2010–11	Alfred Effiong	Marsaxlokk	17
2011–12	Obinna Obiefule	Marsaxlokk Mosta	34
2012–13	Jose Luis Negrin	Rabat Ajax Melita	22
2013–14	Johnhatan Edison	Birkirkara Hibernians	21
2014–15	Edison Jorginho	Hibernians Hibernians	25

League appearances

Player	Matches
Mario Muscat	501
Brian Said	425
Stefan Sultana	424

Bold denotes still active players.

References

1. MaltaFootball.com

External links

• Malta Football Association
• League321.com – Maltese football league tables, records & statistics database.
• Malta – List of Champions and Runners-Up, RSSSF.com