Ignoring restrictions related to the Coronavirus while police appeared helpless, Floriana supporters gathered in a large group on the Granaries in Floriana to celebrated the championship, handed to them not on the field of play but after a decision taken by the council.
Floriana FC were crowned BOV Premier League champions after a vote in the MFA council confirmed the outcomes of the Maltese football league structure on Monday.
The vote was taken by the Malta Football Association council after the season was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The council ultimately opted to award the championships across the Maltese footballing pyramid on the basis of the league table when the tournament was stopped.
This meant that Floriana were declared as champions, hence ending a 27-year drought since they last won Malta’s top division. The respective leaders of each division in the Maltese football pyramid were also declared as Champions – meaning that Zejtun Corinthians were crowned First Division champions, while Marsa were crowned Second Division champions and Attard were crowned Third Division champions.
The decision prompted wild celebrations in Floriana, as supporters took to the Granaries to celebrate the vote – while it prompted anger and consternation from Valletta fans.
When the Premier League was stopped in March, Floriana topped the standings on 41 points, three clear of Valletta with Hibernians in third place a point further back. Six matchdays were still to be played.
The MFA Council, which is made up of representatives of football clubs in Malta and Gozo, met in a video conference to decide the final outcomes of the 2019-20 season including relegation, and the winners and relegated teams in the other divisions.
48 members of the council voted in favour, 18 voted against, six abstained, and four decided not to vote. The Executive members of the MFA had decided at the beginning of the meeting that they would not be voting.
The association had already decided that Floriana should play in the Champions League, while Valletta, Hibs and newly promoted Sirens, that classified second, third and fourth respectively, should play in the Europa League.
Birkirkara FC meanwhile were crowned as Malta's Women's Champions while Luxol St. Andrews were awarded the Futsal League. The Council, as expected, also approved the the motion agreed by the Gozo Football Association to crown Nadur Youngsters as champions of the GFA Division One and Sannat Lions of the GFA Division Two.
In the same meeting, the council opted to scrap relegations for all divisions – meaning that Tarxien Rainbows in particular, who were mathematically confirmed to be relegated from the Premier League having only gathered four points from 20 games, were saved by the vote.
45 members voted in favour of the scrapping, 18 voted against, and six abstained.