Preparations are underway for the 2025 edition of the traditional Boxing Day Football Tournament, with organisers confirming that this year’s event will once again be staged in a quadrangular format.
The tournament is organised annually by the Malta Sports Journalists Association (MSJA) and brings together representatives from across Malta’s football and public life. This year’s edition will feature teams representing the Malta Football Referees Association, Members of Parliament, TV and media personalities, and sports journalists who are members of the MSJA.
The 2025 tournament will mark the first appearance of TEAMmt, a side made up of TV and media personalities, while the team representing Members of Parliament will be competing for the second time, following their debut at last year’s event.
The Boxing Day football tradition dates back to the 1970s, when the Malta Sports Journalists Association, then known as Għaqda Kittieba Sports, invited a group of referees to take part in a friendly match. Despite a small number of interruptions over the decades, the annual fixture has largely been preserved through the continued collaboration of the MSJA and the Malta Football Referees Association.
This year’s tournament will be held at the Victor Tedesco Stadium in Ħamrun, with the venue being made available through the courtesy of the Ħamrun Spartans FC committee.
As has become customary, the event will also serve a charitable purpose, with all participating teams contributing to a collective donation in aid of Istrina, Malta’s national fundraising initiative. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the matches, and with entrance free of charge, spectators will also be invited to make voluntary donations on the day.
The Boxing Day Football Tournament 2025 will take place on Friday, 26 December, with the opening two matches kicking off at 09:00. Her Excellency the President of Malta, Dr Miriam Spiteri Debono, is expected to attend the event and will officially kick off the second set of matches at 10:00.
Click HERE for more information
