British consortium enters bidding race to take over Valletta FC

Claudio Grech’s 1943 group and Insignia also keen to take charge of capital club

The administrative future of Valletta FC will be decided on Thursday when the football club will hold the continuation of its Annual General Meeting.

The Citizens are looking to put the club on a sound footing for the future as they look to bounce back from last season’s disappointing campaign which saw the senior team relegated from the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history.

On the top of Thursday’s meeting agenda is the formation of a new club committee and the Times of Malta can reveal that club members will be presented with bids from three different consortiums who are keen to take charge of the club.

A British consortium has entered the bidding race to take over Valletta FC.

The consortium, by the name of Club Underdog, are keen to take charge of the capital club and will be one of three administrative groups that will be putting their name forward for approval during the club’s annual general meeting on Thursday.

Thursday’s meeting is a continuation of the AGM that got under way last month and club members are expected to give their preference on who should take charge of the club.

Last month, the Times of Malta reported that former club sponsors Insignia and a consortium group led by Claudio Grech were interested in taking charge of the club.

Now it transpires that a British consortium by the name of Club Underdog is also keen to take over at Valletta FC.

According to information gathered on their website, Club Underdog is a multi-club sports entity wholly owned and operated by North Sixth Group, a New York and Los Angeles-based family office operating company.

Under its ownership are historic sports clubs and assets including Campobasso FC, Ascoli FC, Dagenham and Redbridge and Brooklyn FC.

During their time in charge of Italian club Campobasso, North Sixth Group became one of the first foreign ownership groups in history to achieve back-to-back promotions with Italian side Campobasso FC, bringing the club from the fifth tier to Serie C in just two years.

In 2023, the group also made history as the first ownership group to bring an expansion football franchise to the Borough of Brooklyn after a years-long process.

Kicking off in the USL Super League and USL Championship in 2024 and 2025 respectively, Brooklyn FC is one of the only sports franchises in the United States to include a professional men’s and women’s team under the same platform.

Club Underdog hopes to beat the competition from Insignia and Claudio Grech’s consortium by the name of 1943.

Former club president Alexander Fenech said in an interview that he held talks with a huge foreign company, Insignia, who have a presence here in Malta and are interested in taking over the club.

Insignia already worked with Valletta FC in season 2013-14, helping the club to win the league and cup double.

Fenech had said that Insignia were keen to make a huge investment in the club to put the club where it belongs.

On the other hand, Claudio Grech and his consortum want to take charge of the club with an innovative concept that will see him assemble a number of businessman who will sustain the club with little financial grants.

The Citizens are looking to put the club on a sound footing for the future as they look to bounce back from last season’s disappointing campaign which saw the senior team relegated from the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history.