2025–26 Maltese Challenge League
Football league season
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The 2025–26 Maltese Challenge League (referred to as the BOV Challenge League for sponsorship reasons) is the second-level league football in Malta. It is the sixth season that the competition has been running in its present form.
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 13 September 2025 – 23 April 2026 |
| Champions | Balzan |
| Promoted | Birzebbuga St. Peter's |
| Relegated | Marsa Mtarfa |
| Matches | 177 |
| Goals | 582 (3.29 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Cristhyan Noto Souza (Mgarr United) Arthur Stelmach Santana (Pieta Hotspurs) (18 goals) |
← 2024–25 2026–27 →
All statistics correct as of 24 April 2026. | |
Teams
The league consists of sixteen teams; twelve teams remaining from the previous season, two teams promoted from the 2024-25 Maltese National Amateur League, and two teams relegated from the 2024-25 Maltese Premier League.[1]
Team changes
The following teams have changed divisions since the 2024–25 season:[2]
To Maltese Challenge LeaguePromoted from Maltese National Amateur League Relegated from the Maltese Premier League |
From Maltese Challenge LeaguePromoted to the Maltese Premier League Relegated to Maltese National Amateur League
|
| Team | Location | Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Balzan | Balzan |  Andrew Cohen |
| Birzebbuga St. Peter's | Birzebbuga | Edgar Degabriele |
| Fgura United | Fgura | Kevin Vella |
| Gudja United | Gudja |  Orosco Anonam |
| Marsa | Marsa | Ryan Fenech |
| Melita | San Ġiljan | Brian Said |
| Mgarr United | Mgarr | Shaun Bajada |
| Mtarfa | Mtarfa | Ludvic Bartolo |
| Pietà Hotspurs | Pietà | Manuel Caruana |
| Santa Lucia | Santa Luċija | Joseph Galea |
| Sirens | St. Paul's Bay | Stephen Damato |
| St. Andrews | St. Andrew's, Malta | Jose` Borg |
| Swieqi United | Swieqi | Liam Mangion |
| Vittoriosa Stars | Birgu | Jason Camenzuli |
| Żebbuġ Rangers | Żebbuġ | Saviour Debono Grech |
| Żurrieq | Żurrieq | Brian Spiteri |
Venues
| Ta' Qali | Ta' Qali | Location of host stadia during the 2025-26 Maltese Challenge League | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ta' Qali National Stadium | Centenary Stadium | ||
| Capacity: 16,997 | Capacity: 3,000 | ||
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| St. Paul's Bay | Hamrun | ||
| Sirens Stadium | Victor Tedesco Stadium | ||
| Capacity: 1,024 | Capacity: 1,962 | ||
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Regular season
During the regular season, each team plays each other once (either at home or at away). The top eight teams qualify for the Top eight, while the bottom eight teams qualify for the Play-Out.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balzan | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 37 | 10 | +27 | 35 | Qualification for the Top Eight |
| 2 | Melita | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 36 | 17 | +19 | 32 | |
| 3 | Birzebbuga St. Peter's | 15 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 15 | +14 | 31 | |
| 4 | Sirens | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 39 | 19 | +20 | 29 | |
| 5 | Swieqi United | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 29 | |
| 6 | Fgura United | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 24 | +9 | 25 | |
| 7 | Pietà Hotspurs | 15 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 21 | +6 | 24 | |
| 8 | St. Andrews | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 23 | −4 | 23 | |
| 9 | Mgarr United | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 24 | +4 | 22 | Qualification for the Play-Out |
| 10 | Gudja United | 15 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 22 | |
| 11 | Santa Lucia | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 25 | +2 | 18 | |
| 12 | Żurrieq | 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 21 | 27 | −6 | 14 | |
| 13 | Vittoriosa Stars | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 24 | −7 | 12 | |
| 14 | Marsa | 15 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 18 | 28 | −10 | 10 | |
| 15 | Żebbuġ Rangers | 15 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 37 | −28 | 8 | |
| 16 | Mtarfa | 15 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 67 | −58 | −2[a] |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions or teams for relegation).
Notes:
Results
Top Eight and Play Out
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balzan (C, P) | 22 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 50 | 21 | +29 | 48 | Champion. Promoted to 2026-27 Malta Premier League |
| 2 | Birzebbuga St. Peter's (P) | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 47 | 27 | +20 | 46 | Promotion play-off |
| 3 | Swieqi United | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 48 | 28 | +20 | 46 | |
| 4 | Melita | 22 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 42 | 28 | +14 | 38 | |
| 5 | Sirens | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 50 | 33 | +17 | 35 | |
| 6 | Pietà Hotspurs | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 42 | 34 | +8 | 35 | |
| 7 | Fgura United | 22 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 41 | 37 | +4 | 32 | |
| 8 | St. Andrews | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 26 | 38 | −12 | 27 | |
| 9 | Mgarr United | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 41 | 33 | +8 | 33 | |
| 10 | Gudja United | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 32 | |
| 11 | Santa Lucia | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 40 | 31 | +9 | 30 | |
| 12 | Żurrieq | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 36 | 38 | −2 | 27 | |
| 13 | Vittoriosa Stars | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 21 | |
| 14 | Żebbuġ Rangers | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 23 | 45 | −22 | 20 | |
| 15 | Marsa (R) | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 19 | Relegation to the 2026-27 National Amateur League |
| 16 | Mtarfa (R) | 22 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 10 | 94 | −84 | −2[a] |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions or teams for relegation).
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- Mtarfa were deducted six points.
Top 8 Results
Play Out Results
Promotion Playoff
Due to Swieqi United and Birżebbuġa St. Peter's both finishing equal on points and goal difference, a playoff was required to take place to determine who got the second promotion place. Birżebbuġa St. Peter's won the playoff on penalties.[4]
| 23 April 2026 | Swieqi United | 1 - 1 (6-7 p) | Birzebbuga St. Peter's | Ta'Qali |
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Report |
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Stadium: Centenary Stadium | |
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