With all football and sports activities grounding to a halt in mid-march, the much awaited final decision from the Malta Football Association as to whether the Maltese Premier League season would resume or not has finally been delivered.

The Association's Executive Committee, headed by President Bjorn Vassallo via a virtual meeting, on Monday, decided that both the BOV Premier League and the FA Trophy will not resume in view of the COVID-19 measures being taken by the health authorities.

Before today's crucial meeting, ten of the 14 top-flight clubs had been consistently demanding to the local governing body of football to conclude the season now while Valletta, Birkirkara and Gżira United were desperate for the championship to be decided on the pitch.

Earlier this month, MFA president Bjorn Vassallo informed the clubs that his association had communicated via an official letter with the Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci, and included a medical protocol that would be implemented once the association is given the go-ahead to resume its competitions.

Earlier on the same day, the Superintendent for Public Health made it quite clear that non-contact sports are currently more likely to be given the green light to continue, as they pose the least risk of spreading the coronavirus, giving a glimpse that the resumption of football will not take place. 

The 2020-21 season in Malta is now set to start later than usual as the local association is looking at kicking off its competitions in October to make sure clubs arrive for their commitments in UEFA club competitions in a better condition, and thus be more competitive.

The remaining big question, as things stand now, is how and which teams will represent Malta in the forthcoming UEFA club competition for next season.  UEFA will have a big say in that.  Who will be relegated and who will be promoted?  Big questions which we still have no answers.

Photo by Domenic Aquilina