The Malta Football Association (MFA) unveiled its new National Teams’ new branding on Tuesday.
The announcement, made during the FA’s General Assembly falls in line with the association’s strategy for Maltese football 2020-24 ‘We Can Perform Better’.
In a statement, the MFA said that its new visual identity is respectful of its long history and tradition keeping the eight-pointed cross at the heart of both the National Team logo and the corporate logo.
“It aspires to reflect the Association’s values: being dynamic, socially responsible, and trustworthy. In terms of positioning, two separate brands are being used: on one side the National Team (male, female, youth teams), and on the other the Malta FA’s corporate identity,” the statement read.
The MFA said that the design process was entrusted to Glasgow-based Frame, who has a solid portfolio of rebranding processes in international football. They were engaged amongst a number of local and international firms thanks to UEFA’s support through its GROW programme, an initiative to support national associations with expertise and external consultancy.
National Teams
Speaking about one half of the rebranding – the National Teams – the MFA said the essence behind the National Team brand is to reflect competitiveness through hard work. The National Team is a unique identifier that “fosters a sense of belonging, unity, and pride. Hence, the imagery that portrays competitiveness, hard work, bravery and belief in one’s preparation”.
“The National Teams Logo is made up of an eight-pointed cross and an outline that leaves a transparent area in between,” the statement read.
“With so many versions of the eight-pointed cross used elsewhere, the Malta FA wanted to create a shape that was the best representation of Malta. Each of the arrowheads has been designed to be at a 90-degree angle between each point, creating an accurate cross when combined. The outline has taken inspiration from the Maltese tiles and from elements of the baroque style. Each arrowhead has an outline shape that creates the letter M to represent Malta.”
Association
The eight-pointed cross has been positioned at the heart of the Association’s corporate logo as well. At each corner of the centre circle, a letter M is created to represent Malta. A more informal inscription ‘Malta FA’ and the foundation year complete the circumference.
The three lines on the outer edges of the logo represent the different categories of the game: male, female, and grassroots. The circular shape and pattern within the centre circle creates a visual representation of a football. The national Team logo itself forms a synergy with the association logo, to reflect the inherent connection between the two.
