On Wednesday morning, the fixtures for the opening round of the 360Sports Malta Premier, the local football championship set to commence on Friday, 16th August, were announced. For the first time in the history of local football, the fixtures were not drawn manually but through a digital system. This method has already been utilised in major international tournaments.
The chairman of Premier League Ltd, Alan Abela, stated that match day 1 was the only one predetermined, based on criteria from the previous season. Premier League champions Ħamrun Spartans will begin their title defence against Challenge League runners-up Żabbar St Patrick, while Premier League runners-up Floriana will start their season against Challenge League winners Melita. The rest of the match days were drawn randomly.
In a comment to TVMsport, chairman Alan Abela provided more details on how the digital system operated for drawing the fixtures. He also mentioned that preparations for the start of the championship are progressing well and expressed hope that the ongoing efforts will result in a more attractive product.
The matches of the 360Sports Malta Premier will be broadcast exclusively on TVMsport+.
Match day 1:
Ħamrun Spartans FC – Żabbar St Patrick FC
Floriana FC – Melita FC
Sliema Wanderers FC – Mosta FC
Marsaxlokk FC – Gżira United FC
Hibernians FC – Naxxar Lions FC
Birkirkara FC – Balzan FC
Match day 2:
Ħamrun Spartans FC – Floriana FC
Marsaxlokk FC – Melita FC
Hibernians FC – Gżira United FC
Birkirkara FC – Żabbar St Patrick FC
Sliema Wanderers FC – Balzan FC
Naxxar Lions FC – Mosta FC
Match day 3:
Marsaxlokk FC – Birkirkara FC
Hibernians FC – Sliema Wanderers FC
Żabbar St Patrick FC – Floriana FC
Ħamrun Spartans FC – Melita FC
Balzan FC – Naxxar Lions FC
Gżira United FC – Mosta FC
Match day 4:
Marsaxlokk FC – Sliema Wanderers FC
Hibernians FC – Birkirkara FC
Naxxar Lions FC – Floriana FC
Mosta FC – Ħamrun Spartans FC
Balzan FC – Żabbar St Patrick FC
Melita FC – Gżira United FC
Match day 5:
Floriana FC – Hibernians FC
Balzan FC – Ħamrun Spartans FC
Gżira United FC – Sliema Wanderers FC
Marsaxlokk FC – Mosta FC
Melita FC – Birkirkara FC
Żabbar St Patrick FC – Naxxar Lions FC
Match day 6:
Floriana FC – Gżira United FC
Marsaxlokk FC – Balzan FC
Sliema Wanderers FC – Melita FC
Mosta FC – Birkirkara FC
Naxxar Lions FC – Ħamrun Spartans FC
Żabbar St Patrick FC – Hibernians FC
Match day 7:
Birkirkara FC – Sliema Wanderers FC
Ħamrun Spartans FC – Hibernians FC
Żabbar St Patrick FC – Marsaxlokk FC
Mosta FC – Floriana FC
Naxxar Lions FC – Melita FC
Balzan FC – Gżira United FC
Match day 8:
Marsaxlokk FC – Floriana FC
Birkirkara FC – Ħamrun Spartans FC
Mosta FC – Hibernians FC
Sliema Wanderers FC – Żabbar St Patrick FC
Naxxar Lions FC – Gżira United FC
Melita FC – Balzan FC
Match day 9:
Sliema Wanderers FC – Ħamrun Spartans FC
Floriana FC – Balzan FC
Gżira United FC – Birkirkara FC
Hibernians FC – Melita FC
Naxxar Lions FC – Marsaxlokk FC
Mosta FC – Żabbar St Patrick FC
Match day 10:
Ħamrun Spartans FC – Marsaxlokk FC
Floriana FC – Sliema Wanderers FC
Birkirkara FC – Naxxar Lions FC
Balzan FC – Hibernians FC
Melita FC – Mosta FC
Gżira United FC – Żabbar St Patrick FC
Match day 11:
Birkirkara FC – Floriana FC
Marsaxlokk FC – Hibernians FC
Gżira United FC – Ħamrun Spartans FC
Naxxar Lions FC – Sliema Wanderers FC
Żabbar St Patrick FC – Melita FC
Mosta FC – Balzan FC
