The new football season gets under way next Friday with the opening clash of the Euro Cup, a competition reserved for the three teams representing Malta in the forthcoming Champions League and Europa League.

Taking part will be champions Valletta, FA Trophy winners Floriana and third placed in the league Birkirkara.

In the opening match on Friday, Valletta will be facing Floriana. The second match is to be played on Monday 20 June between Birkirkara and the losers of the above match. The final match between Birkirkara and the winners of the opening match will be played on Thursday 23 June.

All the matches are being played at the Hibernians Stadium and will all kick off at 7.30pm.

Eligibility of players

The MFA, meanwhile, has made some amendments to the rules governing the Euro Cup.

One of these amendments concerns the eligibility of the players. From this year, clubs make may use of five (not three) guest players even if these are registered for another local or foreign club.

Also, in the case that a club files more than five (not three) requests to make use of guest players, all the requests of such club shall be invalid and all the guest players requested by such club to take part in the competition shall be ineligible to take part unless prior to the commencement of the competition such club, by means of a written notice to be filed with the association, withdraws its request/s above the quota of guest players allowed to take part.