The fifth edition of the Atlas Under-11 Football Festival was held at the Melita FC Football Ground and Sports Complex in Pembroke on the 28 January.
Around sixty young footballers took part in a round-robin of seven-a-side games, with each team playing each other twice. The five teams competing in the tournament were Melita FC - represented by Melita Red and Melita Black, Swieqi FC, Balzan Youths FC and Ħamrun Spartans FC.
Atlas Insurance CEO and Managing Director Matthew von Brockdorff and Melita FC President Andrew Naudi presented all players with a commemorative trophy at the end of the tournament.
Mr von Brockdorff said that "Atlas is very happy to organise this festival once again, as it strongly believes that both the players and society at large stand to benefit from the engagement in sports at a young age. It was very encouraging to see the children showcasing their skills in a fair competition and doing their best to help their team succeed as they braved the rain and cold weather."
Andrew Naudi, Melita F.C. Club President, added that "It was a pleasure hosting the football festival in collaboration with our long-time sponsors Atlas Insurance. The event was excellently organised, and all players and parents/guardians enjoyed a great day of football, in a competitive yet friendly vibe. Our club's objective is always the development of our future players, and such tournaments are a testament to this. We are grateful to Atlas for organising such a memorable event, and to the nurseries of Swieqi, Ħamrun and Balzan for their attendance. We look forward to many more festivals organised in collaboration with Atlas in the future."
Atlas Insurance has been the main sponsor of Melita FC for a number of years with the first sponsorship agreement dating back to 2009. In 2021, Atlas Insurance renewed its sponsorship to support the football club at all levels - from the youth section to the senior team as well as the coaching team.
The Atlas U-11 football festival has been taking place since 2015 and this was the first edition to be held since 2019.