The Malta Football Referees Association (MFRA) held its Extraordinary General Meeting on Thursday, 30th October 2025, at the Centenary Hall.
During the meeting, Mr Ishmael Barbara was formally elected President of the MFRA, following the resignation of Mr Trustin Farrugia Cann after he was elected Vice President of the Malta Football Association (MFA).
The Association expressed its gratitude to Farrugia Cann for his years of leadership and dedication, while congratulating Barbara on his new appointment.
“I’m really honoured to have been elected president of the Malta Football Referees Association,” Barbara told Malta Sport journalist Christopher Francalanza.
“I’d like to thank the members for their support, and also thank Trustin for his great work as president. He has now been elected vice president of the MFA, and I wish him all the best in that role. I have been serving as general secretary of the MFRA for the past six years, so I’m looking forward to building on the work we’ve done together and continuing to support our referees.”
Barbara, who served as General Secretary since 2019, was widely regarded as Farrugia Cann’s right-hand man throughout his presidency. While some referees have expressed scepticism about their close working relationship, others see Barbara’s election as a breath of fresh air and a chance to continue strengthening the refereeing sector.
An additional Extraordinary General Meeting will now be scheduled to elect a new Secretary General.
