Maltese football is set to embrace video technology from the upcoming season, following the unanimous approval by the Executive Board of the Malta Football Association (MFA) to introduce Football Video Support (FVS) in football and Video Support (VS) in futsal competitions.
The MFA confirmed that in football, the FVS system will cover up to 70 matches during its inaugural season. These will primarily include decisive fixtures such as finals and play-offs. In the case of futsal, approximately five matches are expected to be covered, with emphasis once again placed on crucial encounters like playoffs and finals.
The FVS setup for football will be rolled out across three stadiums, with no more than two matches equipped with the system taking place simultaneously. Each game will be monitored by an average of four cameras, although the system can operate with as few as one or as many as six. Matches in the Malta Premier League will be administered by the league itself, while all other domestic competitions will fall under the responsibility of the MFA.
In futsal, a single VS unit will be installed at the arena currently used for domestic competitions managed by the Futsal Malta Association. Each covered match will be supported by dedicated equipment, a technician, and an operator.
Eligible matches for FVS and VS coverage include selected Malta Premier League fixtures, FA Trophy ties from the quarter-final stage onward, the 125th Jubilee Cup finals for both men and women, the Malta FA Super Cup, the Futsal League, the Futsal Super Cup, and the Futsal Trophy Final.
Unlike traditional VAR, the FVS model allows coaches to request reviews for specific decisions they deem as clear and obvious errors. It is a developing system already being tested by FIFA in tournaments such as the U-20 and U-17 Women’s World Cups.
Initial discussions on implementing the FVS in Malta’s domestic competitions began earlier this year between the Malta FA and FIFA. The Association has so far received eight proposals from FIFA-licensed international suppliers and is currently evaluating these bids.
According to sources close to MaltaSport, MediaPro and Hawk-Eye are among the companies that submitted offers, although both are considered too costly for the local context. MediaPro, a Spanish company with previous VAR experience in Malta, is believed to be the preferred option due to its familiarity with the local scene and a more feasible financial package.
The MFA confirmed that internal discussions with the Malta Premier League and Futsal Malta Association will now proceed, as the implementation phase of this significant technological upgrade begins to take shape.
