Ħamrun Spartans start title defence against Żabbar St Patrick

Malta Premier League to play one Matchday in Gozo next March

Champions Ħamrun Spartans will start their title defence against newly-promoted Żabbar St Patrick as the draws of the revamped 360Sports Premier League were held at the Centenary Hall.

Next season’s league championship is set to be played under a new format created by the Malta Premier League clubs, with the number of teams in the top flight going down to 12 from 14 of the previous season.

Floriana, last season’s runners-up will start their campaign against Challenge League champions Melita while Sliema Wanderers will take on Mosta.

Marsaxlokk will be up against Gżira United while Hibernians take on Naxxar Lions.

The only derby in Match Day One is the clash between Birkirkara and Balzan.

The opening day programme was compiled according to last season’s final standings with Ħamrun Spartans and Floriana, the two top-placed teams, paired with the two promoted sides in the Challenge League, namely Żabbar and Melita.

The match sequences for the other 11 match days were compiled for the first time through an algorithm system.

The 2024-25 360Sports Premier League will get under way on Friday, August 16 with matches being played between Saturdays and Mondays and Fridays and Sundays on alternate weeks.

Matches will be played in four different venues, mainly at the National Stadium and the Tony Bezzina Stadium while there will be games staged at the Centenary Stadium and the Victor Tedesco Stadium.

A major novelty for this year’s championship is that one full Match Day will be played in Gozo.

“We are planning to host one Match Day in Gozo,” Alan Abela, Malta Premier League chairman said.

“This will be held between March 28 and March 31. This will be an opportunity for all Gozitan football lovers to watch all Maltese Premier League teams in action in Gozo and for Maltese fans to travel to the Sister Island and follow their team.”

Under the new format the championship is split over two rounds, the Opening and the Closing Round.

In Phase 1 of the Opening Round, all 12 teams will play each other and therefore play a total of 11 matches.

In Phase 2, teams will be split into two sections – the Top 6 and the Bottom 6 where in each section teams will play five matches in all.

The ranking at the end of the Opening Round will be noted but points will then be reset to zero for the Closing Round.

In the Closing Round – Phase 1, all twelve teams will play each other once again and therefore play a total of eleven matches. In Phase 2, teams will be split once again into two sections – the Top 6 and the Bottom 6 where in each section teams will play five matches in all.

If the same team ranks first in both the Opening Round and the Closing Round they will be declared champions.

If two different teams finish in the top two positions in both rounds a title play-off will be played.

If two teams placed first and second in the Opening Round and two different teams finish first and second in the Closing Round. In that case the Final Four would be played.

OPENING PROGRAMME

Ħamrun S. vs Żabbar SP    

Floriana vs Melita  

Sliema W. vs Mosta

Marsaxlokk vs Gżira United           

Balzan vs Birkirkara            

Naxxar L. vs Hibernians