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2025–26 Maltese Premier League

Football league season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2025–26 Maltese Premier League (referred to as the YoHealth Malta Premier for sponsorship reasons)[1] was the 111th season of top-flight league football in Malta. The season began on 16 August 2025 and concluded with the final of the final four on 16 May 2026.[2] Ħamrun Spartans entered the season as defending champions having won their eleventh Premier League title in the previous season, their third consecutive one.

Season2025–26
Dates16 August 2025 – 16 May 2026
ChampionsFloriana
Quick facts Season, Dates ...
Maltese Premier League
Season2025–26
Dates16 August 2025 – 16 May 2026
ChampionsFloriana
RelegatedNaxxar Lions
Tarxien Rainbows
UEFA Champions LeagueFloriana
UEFA Conference LeagueValletta
Marsaxlokk
Ħamrun Spartans
Matches192
Goals483 (2.52 per match)
Top goalscorerYuri
Joseph Mbong (12 goals each)
Biggest home winBirkirkara 5-0 Tarxien Rainbows (3 February 2026), Naxxar Lions 5-0 Mosta (4 February 2026)
Biggest away winBirkirkara 1-6 Hamrun Spartans (21 December 2025)
Highest scoringHibernians 5–3 Gzira United (18 August 2025)
Longest winning runFloriana (5 games)
Longest unbeaten runFloriana (11 games)
Longest winless runNaxxar Lions and Mosta (both 10 games)
Longest losing runMosta (5 games)
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Teams

Twelve teams are competing in the league: the top ten teams from the previous season and two teams promoted from the Challenge League.

Changes from the previous season

Promoted to the Premier League
Relegated to the Challenge League

Locations


Personnel and kits

More information Team, Manager ...
Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor (front) Shirt sponsor (back) Shirt sponsor (sleeve)
Birkirkara Italy Gianluca Festa United States Nike McDonald's Inter Sport (bottom)
Floriana Portugal Daniel Portela[3] Italy Errea Boggi Go & Fun (right)
Gżira United Malta Darren Abdilla Italy Errea Miracles Food (left)
Ħamrun Spartans Italy Giacomo Modica[4] Germany Puma
  • JP (home kit)
  • Mercury (away kit)
  • Meridianbet
  • Besteam Audio
  • Visit Malta (bottom)
Hibernians Serbia Branko Nišević[5] Spain Joma Bezzina
Marsaxlokk Italy Enzo Potenza[6] Italy Errea 1padel Mr. Fitz Restaurant Marsaxlokk (left)
Mosta Malta Joseph Grech[7] Italy Macron Simply Clean
  • Highbet (top)
  • Teamsport (bottom)
Naxxar Lions Malta Winston Muscat Spain Joma VC Service Station
  • Zarb Coaches
  • Haier Air Conditioner (top)
  • McQueen
  • Sammut Concrete Supplies (bottom)
  • Fastdrop (right)
  • Hi Koki
  • Würth
  • Falcotra (left)
Sliema Wanderers Argentina Pablo Doffo Germany Adidas
  • NMGroup
  • Inter Wetter
  • Visit Malta (top)
  • Thomas Smith
  • Zarb Coaches (bottom)
  • Fonicom (left)
  • Domnic Sciberras Roof Repair (right)
Tarxien Rainbows Malta Jacques Scerri[8] Italy Errea Cassar
Valletta Malta Thane Micallef[9] United States Nike Iniala Intersport
Żabbar St. Patrick Italy Aniello Parisi[10] Germany Adidas The Shoreline
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Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in the table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Birkirkara Italy Stefano De Angelis Sacked 29 August 2025[12] 8th Italy Gianluca Festa 14 September 2025[13]
Gżira United Malta Clive Mizzi Resigned 28 September 2025[14] 12th Malta Darren Abdilla 29 September 2025[15]
Naxxar Lions Malta George Vella Resigned 14 December 2025[16] 12th Malta Winston Muscat 15 December 2025[17]
Sliema Wanderers Malta Paul Zammit Mutual Consent 5 January 2026[18] 3rd Argentina Pablo Doffo 7 January 2026[19]
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Venues

The matches will be played mainly at the Ta' Qali National Stadium and the Tony Bezzina Stadium. However, the Centenary Stadium, the Gozo Stadium and the Victor Tedesco Stadium will be used for other matches.

More information Ta' Qali, Paola ...
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Format

The new league format, which came into being from the 2024–25 season, the Maltese Premier League will be made up of 12 teams and be split into an Opening Round and Closing Round.[20][21] The Opening Round will see each of the 12 teams play each other once before the league is then split between a Top 6 and a Bottom 6, allowing for the teams in each of those splits to play each other another time.[22] Once the ranking is set, each team will go back down to 0 points and start from scratch in the Closing Round, where the same process will be repeated.

The league champions and the teams for UEFA competitions are determined as follow:[20]

  • If both the Opening Round and the Closing Round are won by the same team:
    • The winners of the Opening and the Closing Rounds are declared the league champions and qualify for the UEFA Champions League;
    • Second placed teams in the Opening Round and the Closing Round qualify for the UEFA Conference League;
    • If the same team finishes second in both the Opening and the Closing Rounds, a playoff match between third placed teams in the Opening Round and the Closing Round is played for the remaining spot in the UEFA Conference League;
  • If the champions of the Opening Round are placed second in the Closing Round, and the champions of the Closing Round are placed second in the Opening Round:
    • A playoff match between the champions of the Opening and the Closing Round is played to determine the league champions;
    • A playoff match between third placed teams in the Opening Round and the Closing Round is played for the remaining spot in the UEFA Conference League;
  • Otherwise, a Final Four tournament between winners and runners-up of the Opening and the Closing Rounds is played (if the same team finishes second in both the Opening and the Closing Rounds, the third placed team with the best aggregate points is included in the Final Four tournament), with the teams seeded based on the aggregate points.

Opening round

First phase

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Floriana 11 7 2 2 17 11 +6 23 Qualification for the Top Six
2 Ħamrun Spartans 11 6 4 1 15 6 +9 22[a]
3 Valletta 11 6 4 1 16 8 +8 22[a]
4 Sliema Wanderers 11 5 4 2 16 14 +2 19
5 Marsaxlokk 11 5 3 3 14 11 +3 18
6 Birkirkara 11 4 4 3 12 8 +4 16
7 Hibernians 11 4 3 4 20 18 +2 15 Qualification for the Play-Out
8 Gżira United 11 3 4 4 14 18 −4 13
9 Mosta 11 3 2 6 13 19 −6 11
10 Żabbar St. Patrick 11 2 4 5 11 14 −3 10
11 Tarxien Rainbows 11 1 2 8 8 21 −13 5[b]
12 Naxxar Lions 11 1 2 8 10 18 −8 5[b]
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Source: Malta Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, teams for relegation or teams for UEFA competitions).
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head points: Ħamrun Spartans 1; Valletta 1. Head-to-head goals scored: Ħamrun Spartans 1; Valletta 1.
  2. Head-to-head points: Tarxien Rainbows 3; Naxxar Lions 0.

Results

More information Home \ Away, BIR ...
Home \ Away BIR FLO GŻI ĦAM HIB MAR MOS NXR SLI TAR VAL ZAB
Birkirkara — — 0–0 0–2 — — 2–0 1–0 — — — —
Floriana 2–0 — 1–1 1–3 — — — — 2–2 — 0–2 3–1
Gżira United — — — — — — — 2–1 — 3–1 — —
Ħamrun Spartans — — 0–0 — 2–0 — 2–0 — — — 1–1 —
Hibernians 2–1 0–1 5–3 — — 2–2 — 2–0 2–3 — — —
Marsaxlokk 0–0 1–2 2–0 0–2 — — 3–1 — — — — 1–0
Mosta — 0–1 3–4 — 2–2 — — 3–0 — — — 1–1
Naxxar Lions — 1–3 — 1–1 — 0–1 — — — 2–3 0–1 —
Sliema Wanderers 2–2 — 2–0 2–0 — 1–1 0–1 0–4 — 1–0 1–1 —
Tarxien Rainbows 0–4 0–1 — 1–1 1–3 0–2 0–1 — — — 1–2 1–1
Valletta 0–0 — 1–1 — 1–0 3–1 4–1 — — — — 0–2
Żabbar St. Patrick 0–2 — 2–0 0–1 2–2 — — 1–1 1–2 — — —
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Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second phase

Top Six

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ĦAM FLO VAL SLI MAR BIR
1 Ħamrun Spartans (W) 16 10 4 2 26 10 +16 34 Opening Round Winners — — 1–0 1–0 1–3 6–1
2 Floriana 16 10 3 3 23 15 +8 33 0–2 — 0–0 2–1 2–1 2–0
3 Valletta 16 8 5 3 20 11 +9 29 — — — 1–2 1–0 2–0
4 Sliema Wanderers 16 7 5 4 21 19 +2 26 — — — — 0–0 2–1
5 Marsaxlokk 16 7 4 5 20 16 +4 25 — — — — — 2–1
6 Birkirkara 16 4 4 8 15 22 −7 16 — — — — — —
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Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, teams for relegation or teams for UEFA competitions).
(W) Opening Round Winners

Play-Out

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation HIB GŻI ZAB MOS NXR TAR
7 Hibernians 16 6 5 5 29 25 +4 23 — 4–1 3–3 0–2 1–1 1–0
8 Gżira United 16 6 4 6 21 26 −5 22 — — 0–2 1–0 3–1 2–1
9 Żabbar St. Patrick 16 3 7 6 20 22 −2 16[a] — — — — 1–2 2–2
10 Mosta 16 4 4 8 20 26 −6 16[a] — — 1–1 — 2–3 2–2
11 Naxxar Lions 16 4 3 9 18 25 −7 15 Opening Round Relegation — — — — — 1–0
12 Tarxien Rainbows 16 1 4 11 13 29 −16 7 — — — — — —
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Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, teams for relegation or teams for UEFA competitions).
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head points: Żabbar St. Patrick 2; Mosta 2. Head-to-head goals: Żabbar St. Patrick 2; Mosta 2.

Closing round

First phase

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Floriana 11 7 4 0 20 7 +13 25 Qualification for the Top Six
2 Ħamrun Spartans 11 6 4 1 16 4 +12 22
3 Marsaxlokk 11 5 4 2 12 12 0 19
4 Naxxar Lions 11 5 3 3 20 18 +2 18
5 Valletta 11 4 5 2 16 7 +9 17[a]
6 Gżira United 11 5 2 4 14 12 +2 17[a]
7 Sliema Wanderers 11 4 4 3 10 11 −1 16 Qualification for the Play-Out
8 Birkirkara 11 3 4 4 12 12 0 13
9 Hibernians 11 3 2 6 11 17 −6 11
10 Żabbar St. Patrick 11 2 4 5 13 15 −2 10
11 Tarxien Rainbows 11 1 3 7 9 21 −12 6
12 Mosta 11 1 1 9 7 24 −17 4
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Source: Malta Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, teams for relegation or teams for UEFA competitions).
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head points: Valletta 3; Gżira United 0.

Results

More information Home \ Away, BIR ...
Home \ Away BIR FLO GŻI ĦAM HIB MAR MOS NXR SLI TAR VAL ZAB
Birkirkara — 2–2 — — 3–0 0–1 — — 1–1 5–0 1–0 0–3
Floriana — — — — 4–1 0–0 2–1 3–1 — 2–0 — —
Gżira United 2–0 1–2 — 0–0 1–0 3–0 1–0 — — — 0–2 1–1
Ħamrun Spartans 3–0 1–1 — — — 2–0 — 4–0 2–0 2–1 — 0–0
Hibernians — — — 0–1 — — 1–0 — — 1–1 1–1 2–1
Marsaxlokk — — — — 2–1 — — 1–1 1–1 2–1 1–1 —
Mosta 0–0 — — 2–1 — 1–2 — — 0–1 0–1 0–5 —
Naxxar Lions 0–0 — 4–2 — 2–1 — 5–0 — 1–1 — — 2–1
Sliema Wanderers — 0–1 2–1 — 1–3 — — — — — — 1–0
Tarxien Rainbows — — 1–2 — — — — 1–2 1–1 — — 1–1
Valletta — 0–0 — 0–0 — — — 4–2 0–1 3–1 — —
Żabbar St. Patrick — 0–3 — — — 1–2 5–3 — — — 0–0 —
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Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second phase

Top Six

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts FLO MAR ĦAM VAL GŻI NXR
1 Floriana (W) 16 11 4 1 28 12 +16 37 Closing Round Winners — — 1–4 2–0 — —
2 Marsaxlokk 16 9 4 3 22 20 +2 31 1–3 — 3–2 1–0 2–1 3–2
3 Ħamrun Spartans 16 8 4 4 26 11 +15 28 — — — — 0–1 3–0
4 Valletta 16 6 6 4 21 13 +8 24 — — 2–1 — 2–1 —
5 Gżira United 16 6 3 7 17 17 0 21 0–1 — — — — 0–0
6 Naxxar Lions 16 5 5 6 23 26 −3 20 0–1 — — 1–1 — —
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Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points in regular season; 3) Head-to-head points in regular season; 4) Head-to-head goal difference in regular season; 5) Head-to-head goals scored in regular season; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored in regular season (if two teams tied); 7) Goal difference; 8) Goals scored; 9) Fair play ranking; 10) Drawing of lots.
(W) Closing Round Winners

Play-Out

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation SLI BIR HIB TAR ZAB MOS
7 Sliema Wanderers 16 5 7 4 16 17 −1 22 — 1–0 1–1
8 Birkirkara 16 4 7 5 14 14 0 19 — 1–0 1–1
9 Hibernians 16 4 4 8 16 24 −8 16 0–0 — 2–0
10 Tarxien Rainbows 16 3 6 7 19 29 −10 15[a] 2–1 0–0 3–2 — 3–3 2–2
11 Żabbar St. Patrick 16 3 6 7 21 22 −1 15[a] Closing Round Relegation 1–1 3–0 —
12 Mosta 16 2 4 10 14 32 −18 10 2–2 2–1 —
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Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, teams for relegation or teams for UEFA competitions).
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head points: Żabbar St. Patrick 2; Tarxien Rainbows 2. Head-to-head goals: Żabbar St. Patrick 4; Tarxien Rainbows 4. Tarxien Rainbows won play-off.

Play-off 11th place

More information Żabbar St. Patrick, 2–3 (a.e.t.) ...
Żabbar St. Patrick2–3 (a.e.t.)Tarxien Rainbows
  • Strahinja Jovančić 90+6'
  • Pedro Cejas 94'
Report
  • Petar Panić 66'
  • Ángel Valverde 104'
  • Nhayson 118'
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Attendance: 635
Referee: Ishmael Barbara

Aggregate table

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Floriana (C) 32 21 7 4 51 27 +24 70 Qualification for the Final Four
2 Ħamrun Spartans 32 18 8 6 52 21 +31 62
3 Marsaxlokk 32 16 8 8 42 36 +6 56
4 Valletta 32 14 11 7 41 24 +17 53 Qualification for the Final Four and Conference League second qualifying round[a]
5 Sliema Wanderers 32 12 12 8 37 36 +1 48
6 Gżira United 32 12 7 13 38 43 −5 43
7 Hibernians 32 10 9 13 45 49 −4 39
8 Birkirkara 32 8 11 13 29 36 −7 35[b]
9 Naxxar Lions (R) 32 9 8 15 41 51 −10 35[b] Qualification for the Relegation play-off
10 Żabbar St. Patrick (O) 32 6 13 13 41 44 −3 31
11 Mosta (O) 32 6 8 18 34 58 −24 26
12 Tarxien Rainbows (R) 32 4 10 18 32 58 −26 22
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Source: Malta Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, teams for relegation or teams for UEFA competitions).
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off relegation winner; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Valletta qualified as 2025–26 Maltese FA Trophy winners.
  2. Head-to-head points: Birkirkara 4, Naxxar Lions 1.

Final Four Championship

Since the Opening Round Top 2 and the Closing Round Top 2 are three different teams, there would be a Final Four play-off between the top two teams from the Opening Round, Ħamrun Spartans and Floriana, and the Closing Round, Floriana and Marsaxlokk. Since Floriana finish in top 2 in both rounds, the best third team would qualify too, Valletta.

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
9 May
 
 
Valletta0 (1)
 
16 May
 
Floriana0 (3)
 
Floriana2
 
9 May
 
Marsaxlokk1
 
Marsaxlokk2
 
 
Ħamrun Spartans1
 
Third place play-off
 
 
15 May
 
 
Valletta0
 
 
Ħamrun Spartans2

Semi-finals

More information Valletta, 0–0 (a.e.t.) ...
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Referee: Slobodan Petrović

More information Marsaxlokk, 2–1 (a.e.t.) ...
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Referee: Glenn Tonna

Third place play-off

More information Valletta, 0–2 ...
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Referee: Alex Johnson

Final

More information Floriana, 2–1 ...
Floriana2–1Marsaxlokk
Report
  • Rasmus Lindén 36'
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Referee: Matthew De Gabriele

Relegation play-off

Since the Opening Round bottom two, Naxxar Lions and Tarxien Rainbows, and the Closing Round bottom two, Żabbar St. Patrick and Mosta, are four different teams there would be four teams participating in the relegation play-off.

More information Mosta, 1–0 ...
Mosta1–0Naxxar Lions
  • Azer Kozić 22'
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Referee: Fyodor Zammit

More information Tarxien Rainbows, 0–2 (a.e.t.) ...
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Referee: Daniel Portelli

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

As of 17 August 2026[23]
More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Malta Joseph Mbong Hamrun 14
2 Brazil Yuri Valletta 12
Nigeria Prince Emmanuel Gżira United
Cape Verde Dodo Marsaxlokk
Brazil Vitinho Naxxar
6 Malta Jake Grech Floriana 11
Brazil Lucas Villela Hibernians
8 Italy Mario Fontanella Zabbar 9
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Hat-Ricks

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Played Against
1 Asumah Abukabar Birkirkara vs Tarxien Ranbows
2 Andrea Zammit Valletta vs Mosta
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Discipline

Hibernians has been the most disciplined in the league, with only 55 yellow cards, compared to Birkirkara, who have 56 yellow cards.

More information Rank, Team ...
Rank Team Red Cards Players
1 Birkirkara 6 Donovan Mankoma (vs Gżira United, 23 August 2025), Kurt Zammit (vs Sliema Wanderers, 16 September 2025), Kurt Zammit (vs Hamrun Spartans, 1 November 2025), Miguel Ángel Martínez (vs Sliema Wanderers, 23 November 2025)
2 Floriana 4 Zachary Scerri (vs Tarxien, 23 August 2025), Charles M'Mombwa (vs Valletta, 16 September 2025 and vs Valletta, 10 January 2026), Matteja Veselji (vs Valletta, 16 September 2025)
2 Gżira United 4 Clayton Failla (vs Naxxar Lions, 3 November 2025), David Xuereb (vs Naxxar Lions, 3 November 2025), Mihajlo Stojanović (vs Tarxien Ranbows, 31 January 2026), Kante (vs Tarxien Ranbows, 31 January 2026)
2 Sliema Wanderers 4 Rashed Al-Tumi (vs Naxxar Lions, 28 September 2025), Murilo Henrique (vs Valletta, 14 December 2025), Gustavo Alcino (vs Floriana, 20 December 2025), Dejan Đurić (vs Hibernians, 15 January 2026), Francisco Lopez (vs Gżira United, 25 January 2026)
3 Hamrun Spartans 3 Semir Smajlagič (vs Sliema Wanderers, 5 October 2025), Edeson (vs Floriana, 29 October 2025)
3 Valletta 3 Jefferson De Assis (vs Sliema Wanderers, 14 December 2025), Sava Radić (vs Marsaxlokk, 20 December 2025), Diego Taraves (vs Floriana, 10 January 2026)
3 Zabbar St Patrick's 3 Youngwon Im (vs Hibernians, 24 August 2025), Brian Gambarte (vs Tarxien Rainbows, 24 November 2025), Mayron Marques (vs Hibernians, 18 December 2025)
3 Mosta 3 Giancarlo (vs Marsaxlokk, 17 August 2025), Chunkwuemeka Eka (vs Sliema Wanderers, 22 August 2025), Quelmer Hurtado (vs Birkirkara, 21 September 2025)
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See also

References

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