Champions Valletta FC will start their defence of the Championship title with a match against Sliema Wanderers.

The draws for the MFA Leagues – Premier, First, Second and Third – were made on Wednesday afternoon.

There will be three top encounters on the opening day of the local Premier League. Apart from the Valletta-Sliema game, there are also the Birkirkara v. Balzan and Hamrun S.-Floriana matches which are considered to be close encounters.

Newly promoted Qormi and Pieta were drawn to face Senglea Athletic and Hibernians respectively.

The first round draw was the following:

Mosta-St Andrews; Qormi-Senglea; Tarxien R.-Gzira U.; Birkirkara-Balzan; Hamrun S.-Floriana; Hibernians-Pieta H.; Sliema W.-Valletta.

The Premier League will commence on 17 August and will come to an end on 27 April 2019. The other divisions will commence in September.

The other draws resulted as follows:

First Division: Zebbug R.-Zejtun C.; Pembroke Ath.-Gudja U.; St Lucia-Qrendi; Mqabba-Vittoriosa; Naxxar L.-Lija Ath.; San Gwann-Swieqi U.; Sirens-Marsa.

Second Division: Siggiewi-Mellieha; M’Xlokk-Rabat; Fgura U.-Melita; Zabbar SP-St Venera L.; B’Buga-Luqa SA; Mgarr U.-St George’s; Kalkara bye.

Third Division: Gharghur-Xghajra T.; Ta’Xbiex-Mdina K.; Attard-Kirkop; Mtarfa-Dingli S.; Msida SJ-Marsascala; Ghaxaq-Zurrieq.

Dr Angelo Chetcuti, MFA general secretary, revealed yesterday that the MFA and the Bank of Valletta have agreed to extend their partnership. He added that the MFA is to continue working on improving its product to try and attract more football fans to the local venues.

Ernest Agius, on behalf of the Bank of Valletta, said the Bank was glad to be a major sponsor of local sports which include football, basketball and aquatic sports.

He added that the Bank will again sponsor the very popular Player of the Month award.

He said he hoped the 2018-2019 championship will be exciting as the last one was and wished good luck to all the participants.