2020–21 Maltese Challenge League

Maltese Challenge League
Season2020–21
Dates27 September 2020 – 7 March 2021
RelegatedQormi
Matches played159
Goals scored465 (2.92 per match)
All statistics correct as of 11 April 2021.

The 2020–2021 Maltese Challenge League (referred to as the BOV Challenge League for sponsorship reasons), is the second-level league of football in Malta. This was the first season to take place under the new Challenge League brand. [1]

Following an announcement by Prime Minister Robert Abela, both the Premier League and Challenge League were suspended from 10 March to 11 April 2021 due to the amount of COVID-19 cases increasing in Malta.[2] This was followed by a government decision to extend the suspension, leading to the MFA ending the season prematurely.[3] Due to the season ending without 75% of matches having taken place, both promotion to the Premier League and relegation to the Amateur League (apart from Qormi, who had already been relegated during the season) was suspended until the following season.[4][5] The following season will have 22 teams split into two groups with the top two clubs earning promotion.[6]

Teams

Fifteen teams competed in the league which included the two teams promoted from the Second Division.[7]

Team Finishing position last season Location Stadium Capacity
Fgura United 9th Fgura Gudja Ground 1,000
Marsa 1st in Second Division (promoted) Marsa Luxol Sports Ground 800
Marsaxlokk 3rd in Second Division (promoted) Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk Ground 1,000
Mqabba 14th Mqabba Victor Tedesco Stadium 6,000
Naxxar Lions 4th Naxxar Centenary Stadium 2,000
Pembroke Athleta 5th Pembroke Luxol Sports Ground 800
Pietà Hotspurs 8th Pietà
Qormi 11th Qormi Thomaso Ground 500
Qrendi 3rd Qrendi Luxol Sports Ground 800
San Ġwann 2nd in Second Division (promoted) San Ġwann Centenary Stadium 2,000
St. Andrews 6th St. Andrew's, Malta Luxol Sports Ground 800
St. George's 13th Cospicua Centenary Stadium 2,000
Swieqi United 10th Swieqi Luxol Sports Ground 800
Vittoriosa Stars 12th Birgu Tony Cassar Sports Ground 1,000
Żebbuġ Rangers 7th Żebbuġ Żebbuġ Ground 1,000

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Marsa 22 15 5 2 54 21 +33 50 Promotion to the 2021–22 Maltese Premier League
2 Pembroke Athleta 22 13 8 1 41 18 +23 47
3 San Ġwann 22 9 9 4 43 32 +11 36
4 Żebbuġ Rangers 22 10 4 8 45 30 +15 34
5 Swieqi United 22 10 4 8 41 30 +11 34
6 Naxxar Lions 20 9 3 8 28 25 +3 30
7 Qrendi 21 8 5 8 28 39 −11 29
8 Pietà Hotspurs 21 8 3 10 35 35 0 27
9 St. Andrews 22 8 3 11 29 33 −4 27
10 Vittoriosa Stars 21 6 9 6 20 25 −5 27
11 Marsaxlokk 19 6 8 5 25 13 +12 26 Relegation to the 2021-22 Maltese National Amateur League
12 Fgura United 21 7 5 9 26 35 −9 26
13 Mqabba 21 6 6 9 19 29 −10 24
14 St. George's 20 3 4 13 16 40 −24 13
15 Qormi (R) 22 1 4 17 15 60 −45 2[a] Relegation to the 2021-22 Maltese National Amateur League
Updated to match(es) played on 7 March 2021. Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points;
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Qormi received a 5 point deduction for breaching the League's Payment Regulations.[8]


Results

Home \ Away FGU MSA MXK MQA NXL PEM PHS QOR QND SGW STA STG SWU VST ZEB
Fgura United — 0–3 0–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–2 4–3 1–3 1–0
Marsa — 1–0 4–1 1–1 2–0 5–0 4–1 3–0 2–2 2–0 0–1 1–0
Marsaxlokk 3–1 1–2 — 6–0 0–1 1–1 3–0 1–1 1–1
Mqabba 1–2 0–1 — 0–2 2–1 1–1 1–3 1–0 1–1 0–0 0–0
Naxxar Lions 0–3 2–0 — 0–3 2–0 2–0 1–2 4–0 5–1 1–4 0–3
Pembroke Athleta 0–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 — 1–0 3–1 1–1 3–1 2–1 4–1
Pietà Hotspurs 2–2 4–1 1–0 2–1 3–3 — 2–3 4–3 2–3 0–3 2–1 0–1
Qormi 1–5 0–3 0–2 0–4 0–2 — 0–1 1–1 0–3 1–1 2–2 1–1
Qrendi 4–1 0–3 0–2 2–2 2–1 — 1–3 2–1 2–1 0–5 2–6
San Ġwann 3–0 4–4 0–0 0–0 0–0 5–2 3–2 — 1–1 3–0 1–0 4–1
St. Andrews 0–3 1–4 1–1 4–0 0–0 1–2 0–1 1–0 0–1 — 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–4
St. George's 0–0 1–3 0–0 0–2 0–1 0–4 3–1 2–1 — 1–0 0–1 2–5
Swieqi United 3–1 0–1 1–0 0–2 1–3 5–4 4–0 3–3 1–0 2–1 — 2–2
Vittoriosa Stars 1–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–0 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 0–1 — 2–1
Żebbuġ Rangers 3–0 2–2 1–2 1–4 2–0 6–2 0–2 1–1 3–0 1–3 3–0 —
Updated to match(es) played on 7 March 2021. Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

References

  1. ^ "BOV Challenge League". Malta Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  2. ^ "All organised sport suspended until April 11 due to rise of COVID-19 cases". SportsDesk. 10 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Żejtun, Tarxien, Lija lament MFA Exco decision over Premier League relegation". SportsDesk. 9 April 2021.
  4. ^ "MFA EXCO step up fight against money laundering and bad practices in Maltese football". Times of Malta. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  5. ^ "MFA Exco approve proposals to increase of number of overseas players in matchday squads". Times of Malta. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  6. ^ "New format proposed by MFA EXCO for expanded Challenge League". Times of Malta. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  7. ^ "2020–21 BOV Premier League set for exciting start". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  8. ^ "MFA Challenge League". Malta Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.