Premier League player arrested after alleged bid to fix FA Trophy final

Valletta and Gżira United faced off in the showdown at the National Stadium, with the Citizens winning 2-1.

A day before the final, a Gżira United player informed his club that he was approached by another player, who is not on the books of Valletta FC, and offered him a sum of money to throw Saturday’s final.

The identity of the suspect cannot be confirmed.

Upon receiving information from their player, Gżira United, jointly with Valletta FC, immediately contacted the Malta FA Integrity Officer and informed him of the allegations.

The MFA Integrity Officer opened an investigation into the case and contacted the police, which took the lead in the investigation.

Sources have told Times of Malta that during the past two days, the police went through all the evidence and spoke with both the Gżira United player and officials from the Premier League club.

On Wednesday, the police arrested the player who allegedly offered the unspecified bribe.

The suspect was interrogated by the police and kept in custody pending further investigation, which will determine whether there will be sufficient evidence to charge him in court with match-fixing offences.

This is the second match-fixing investigation being carried out by the police this year.

Last March, the police probed allegations made by Mosta FC players who alleged that they were approached by a football agent and were offered ‘inducements’ intended to influence the outcome of the Premier League match against rivals Naxxar Lions. Mosta FC lost the match 5-0.

The alleged approaches involved an individual described by sources as a football intermediary involved in bringing foreign players to Maltese clubs.

And in April, defender Jurgen Pisani was jailed for 15 months after he was found guilty of offering a bribe to former Birkirkara player Maxuell Maia during a Premier League match in 2024.