Maltese Challenge League

The Maltese Challenge League (referred to as the BOV Challenge League for sponsorship reasons[1]) is the second-highest division in Maltese football, behind the Maltese Premier League. The First Division was the precursor of the present Premier League until the latter was revamped for the 1980–81 season with the Maltese Challenge League instituted for the 2020-21 season following the premature end of the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

Maltese Challenge League
Founded1910 (1910)
Country Malta (15 teams)
Number of teams15
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toMaltese Premier League
Relegation toNational Amateur League
Domestic cup(s)Maltese FA Trophy
Current championsŻejtun Corinthians
(2019–20)
Current: 2020–21 Maltese Challenge League

Format

Since the 2020-21 season, the league is made up of fifteen teams. Over the course of the season, each team plays twice against the others in the league, resulting in each team completing twenty-games games in total. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the table by:[3]

  1. Total points gained

In the need of a tie-breaker, a play-off game is played. At the end of the season, the top two teams are directly promoted to the Premier League; an additional place is reserved for the winner of the relegation play-off between the twelfth-placed Premier League team and the third-placed First Division side. The five lowest-finishing teams are relegated to the National Amateur League.[4]

Clubs

2020–21 season

The following 15 clubs will compete in the Challenge League during the 2020–21 season.

Team Finishing position last season Location Stadium Capacity
Fgura United 9th Fgura Gudja Ground 1,000
Marsa 1st in Second Division (promoted) Marsa Luxol Sports Ground 800
Marsaxlokk 3rd in Second Division (promoted) Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk Ground 1,000
Mqabba 14th Mqabba Victor Tedesco Stadium 6,000
Naxxar Lions 4th Naxxar Centenary Stadium 2,000
Pembroke Athleta 5th Pembroke Luxol Sports Ground 800
Pieta Hotspurs 8th Pembroke
Qormi 11th Qormi Thomaso Ground 500
Qrendi 3rd Qrendi Luxol Sports Ground 800
San Ġwann 2nd Second Division (promoted) San Ġwann Centenary Stadium 2,000
St. Andrews 6th St. Andrew's, Malta Luxol Sports Ground 800
St. Georges 13th Cospicua Centenary Stadium 2,000
Swieqi United 10th Swieqi Luxol Sports Ground 800
Vittoriosa Stars 12th Birgu Tony Cassar Sports Ground 1,000
Żebbuġ Rangers 7th Żebbuġ Żebbuġ Ground 1,000

Results
Year Champions Runner-up Third Place (Promotion) Relegated
1998–99[5] Gozo F.C. Żurrieq Mellieha SC, Siggiewi
1999–2000[6] Ħamrun Spartans Xghajra Tornadoes Gzira United, Zebbug Rangers
2000–01 Marsa Lija Athletic Tarxien Rainbows, Żurrieq
2001–02 Marsaxlokk Mosta Qormi, St. Andrews
2002–03 Msida St. Joseph Balzan Youths Gozo, Xgħajra Tornadoes
2003–04 St. Patrick Lija Athletic Tarxien Rainbows, Rabat Ajax
2004–05 Ħamrun Spartans Mosta Balzan Youths, Gozo
2005–06 St. George's Marsa Lija Athletic, St. Andrews
2006–07 Ħamrun Spartans Mqabba San Ġwann, Naxxar
2007–08 Tarxien Rainbows Qormi Mellieħa, Marsa
2008–09 Dingli Swallows Vittoriosa Stars Rabat Ajax, Senglea Athletics
2009–10 Marsaxlokk Vittoriosa Stars St. Patrick, San Ġwann
2010–11 Balzan Youths Mqabba Mosta Pietà Hotspurs, Msida St. Joseph
2011–12 Melita Rabat Ajax St. Patrick, St. George's
2012–13 Naxxar Lions Vittoriosa Stars Dingli Swallows, Mqabba
2013–14 Pietà Hotspurs Żebbuġ Rangers Ħamrun Spartans, Żejtun Corinthians
2014–15 Pembroke Athleta St. Andrews Żurrieq, Msida St. Joseph, Birżebbuġa St. Peter's
2015–16 Gżira United Ħamrun Spartans Gudja United, St. George's, San Ġwann
2016–17 Lija Athetlic Senglea Athletic Naxxar Lions Fgura United, Għargħur
2017–18 Qormi Pietà Hotspurs Żabbar St. Patrick, Melita, Rabat Ajax
2018–19 Sirens Gudja United Santa Luċija F.C. Marsa, San Ġwann
2019–20 Zejtun Corinthians Lija Athetlic no relegation

References
  1. Azzopardi, Kevin (12 July 2015). "Malta FA, BOV agree new three-year sponsorship deal". Times of Malta.
  2. "BOV Challenge League". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  3. "First Division Seasonal Rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  4. "2020-21 BOV Premier League set for exciting start". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  5. Malta 1998/99
  6. Malta 1999/2000
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