The Malta Knights national rugby league team is gearing up to take on Europe’s finest as they prepare to compete at this year’s European Championship.
The European Rugby League (ERL) announced today that nine teams will feature in this year’s European Championship, where promotion and relegation will determine the group make up for the 2026 competition, and Malta will feature in group B.
Outside of group B, the tournament features the likes of Italy, Ukraine, Greece, Norway, Germany and the Czech Republic, and promises to be an exciting showcase of rugby league talent, with the Knights proudly representing Malta on the international stage, and talks underway to prepare a squad that will include Malta’s elite players playing in the world’s biggest leagues, that of Australia and England.
Maltese rugby fans can look forward to an electrifying home game where they will meet the Netherlands for the first time on October 18.
Two weeks later, Malta (ranked 13th in the international rankings) will travel to Serbia for another historic first encounter, against the world-top-10 ranked Serbians.
HUMPHREY AND CASSAR BELIEVE IN MALTA
Malta head coach Philip Humphrey says, ‘‘We’re delighted to have been invited to participate in the European Championship, and we look forward to facing two strong nations and testing ourselves against them’’.
Malta captain Karl Cassar acknowledged the level of Malta’s opposition, ‘‘Take nothing away from our Malta side, the Netherlands have been super impressive on the European front for a number of seasons now, and Serbia are ranked ninth in the international rankings, that’s going to be a massive test for us’’.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP GROUPS BASED OFF RANKINGS
With the reintroduction of the European Championship following a consultation with member nations, the ERL has planted nations in Groups B, C and D according to their international rankings, despite some nations having never met at test level.
In groups B and D, each nation will stage one home and one away fixture, with group C played centrally in Italy at Pasian Di Prato – the venue of the 2022 European U19s Championships – to accommodate Ukraine’s involvement who are unable to stage a home game due to the ongoing conflict there.
NATIONAL TRAINING CAMP IN JUNE
Malta will commence preparations for the European Championships with a week-long national training camp in June that will feature a Malta XIII facing an English University team at Marsa.
The training camp will be a precursor for national squad selections ahead of the series against the USA in September, before the squad challenges for selections for the European Championship.
The training camp will feature overseas based players and staff working closely with local players, and a host of sessions including anti-doping education, and on and off field sessions involving both rugby league and other disciplines.
USA TO HEAD TO MALTA FOR TWO MATCH SERIES
The Malta Rugby League (MRL) are in advanced talks with the USA RL about the USA Hawks national team making a historic two-match series visit to the Maltese Islands in early September, 2025.
The MRL are also in talks with a world top-ten nation to join Malta and the USA for what would be a tri-series, the first of the rugby league kind to be held in the Mediterranean island nation, with the MRL already in talks with the respective embassies about supporting the series.
Malta Knights National Team Manager Anthony Micallef was in Las Vegas earlier this month and met with USA RL staff ahead of a formal announcement expected next month.
MRL PRESIDENT ANTICIPATES 2025 SEASON AS BIGGEST YET
MRL President Jean-Pierre Zarb commented following the European Championship announcement, that 2025 is set to be Maltese Rugby League’s biggest year yet.
‘‘2025 is building into one that will be very exciting for fans, players and sponsors alike. There’s a number of announcements over the next month that will make this the biggest year yet’’.
‘‘With a lot of thankless contribution from volunteers in Malta and abroad, we will be tested on and off the field. But with that said, we are thrilled to be competing in the European Championship once again’’.
‘’The home game against the Netherlands especially, is a fantastic opportunity for home fans to show their support, and with the coaching staff and senior playing group leading the way, we are ready to give it our all both home and away”.
