Maltasport has learned that the Malta Football Association (MFA) is preparing to announce an ambitious €60 million redevelopment of the National Stadium at Ta’ Qali. The official unveiling is expected to take place on 5 May.
According to well-placed sources within the MFA, the announcement will coincide with Prime Minister Robert Abela and Minister for Education, Sport and Youth Clifton Grima’s formal visit to the Association. The plans, as described by insiders, would see the stadium upgraded to UEFA Category 4 standards, with a seating capacity of around 10,000 people, as stated by Bjorn Vassallo in his manifesto and later on in the MFA’s strategy presented to Malta’s Premier on the 17th of February 2021 entitled, We can perform better.
The redevelopment project, still in its preparatory phase, where large part of the Stadium is expected to be demolished and rebuilt. The athletics track surrounding the pitch would also be removed to enhance the stadium’s football-focused design. Additionally, the Malta FA Technical Centre is expected to be modernised.
Sources indicated that the project has been long in the making. It forms a central pillar of Bjorn Vassallo’s presidential campaign, launched on June 18, 2019, under the slogan Forward Together. The initiative reflects Vassallo’s vision to transform Malta’s football infrastructure and align it more closely with European standards.
According to internal estimates given by these sources to MaltaSport, the cost of the redevelopment is projected to reach €60 million. A significant portion of this figure will be financed through a government subsidy, including a €2.4 million grant and €7.35 million from the National Development and Social Fund. Further financial details are expected to be revealed during the official announcement.
The development follows the MFA’s recent General Assembly, during which Treasurer Ivan Mizzi reported the Association’s first financial profitability and current financial health in four years. The improved financial outlook has reportedly strengthened the Association’s ability to pursue long-term infrastructure goals.
An earlier plan to establish a professional senior team and a national youth team, both composed primarily of Maltese players and intended to compete in a foreign professional league, was scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions had reportedly taken place with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) before 2020, but the disruption caused by the pandemic rendered the project unfeasible. Sources close to the matter confirmed to MaltaSport that the initiative is no longer actively being pursued.
Meanwhile, a separate initiative remains in motion to channel government funding towards the development of youth football. National teams up to the age of 18 are expected to benefit from substantial subsidies, easing the financial burden on grassroots operations and ensuring accessibility for aspiring players across the country.
Should the redevelopment of the National Stadium proceed as expected, it would mark one of the most substantial investments in Maltese sporting infrastructure in recent decades. The upgraded facility is likely to position Malta more competitively on the international stage while providing an improved environment for domestic football.
While the Malta FA has not officially confirmed the details, all indications point toward an imminent announcement on 5th May, which could represent the beginning of a transformative era for football in Malta.
