The Malta Sailing Federation is the National Authority for the sport of Sailing in Malta, as recognized by the International Sailing Federation, the Government of Malta, the Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport and the Malta Olympic Committee, and its primary object is to promote the sport of Sailing.

It is made up of one representative of each Sailing Club or Association which obliges its members to act according to rules of behaviour and of competition set out by the International Sailing Federation.

The Maltese Federation was set up in the 1970's as the Malta Yachting Federation by a group of sailing enthusiasts including Walter Camilleri and the late Capt. Benny Grech, and the first Statute was approved in 1975. The Statute was modified in 1998 when the title was changed to the Malta Sailing Federation.

Amongst the duties which the Federation assumes are those of fulfilling its obligations under the International Racing Federation (ISAF)'s rules pertinent to National Authorities, in particular rules dealing with Conduct, Interpretation of Racing Rules, and sailors' eligibility to compete; and of fulfilling its obligations towards the Malta Olympic Committee regarding preparation and coaching of sailors competing in Olympic or pre-Olympic classes of boat, which in Malta's case are limited to the Laser and the Optimist respectively.

The Malta Sailing Federation receives invaluable technical and financial aid from the Malta Olympic Committee. Its coaching programme, and the performance of its sailors and national coaches, are continuously monitored by the MOC's Director of Sport, and the fitness of its sailors is controlled through regular physical tests carried out by sports scientists in the MOC's Functional Diagnostic Laboratory. It is through the MOC that the Federation's sailors are able to participate in events which include the Olympic Games, the Mediterranean Games, the Games of the Small States of Europe and the Island Games.

The MOC annually provides limited funds which are used to partly finance the Federation's coaching programme; in addition, financial aid is being provided this year directly to two sailors who have been nominated by the MOC as "elite athletes", in order to partly cover the costs of their participation in competitions abroad.

The Federation is presently made up of the following nine Clubs and Associations:

The Beneteau Sailing Association, The Birzebbugia Sailing Club, The Gozo Sailing Club, The Malta Laser Class Association,The Malta Model Boating Association,The Malta Optimist Dinghy Association,The Malta Young Sailors Club, The Royal Malta Yacht Club, and The Vikings Sailing Club.