List of Maltese football champions
Founded1909
Country Malta
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams14
Current championsĦamrun Spartans (9th title)
(2022–23 season)
Most championshipsSliema Wanderers
Floriana
(26 titles each)
Current: 2023–24 Maltese Premier League

The Maltese football champions are the winners of the primary football competition in Malta, the Premier League. The league is contested on a round-robin system and the championship is awarded to the highest ranked team at the end of the season. Originally known as the First Division, it started with a disparate number of participating teams. Nowadays, it is contested by 14 teams.[1] With a hiatus during the Second World War, the competition has been ever-present since its inception.

Sliema Wanderers and Floriana are the most successful clubs with 26 titles each,[2] while Ħamrun Spartans are the current champions.[3]

Champions

Key
Club (X) Club name and number of times they had won the title at that point (if more than one)
† Champions also won the FA Trophy that season, completing a domestic double

First Division (1909–80)

Season Winner[4][5] Runner-up[4][5] Third place[6] Top scorer(s)[7] Goals[7]
1909–10 Floriana Sliema Wanderers St. Joseph's United Malta Salvu Samuele (Floriana) 4
1910–11 League championship was not held
1911–12 Floriana (2) Ħamrun Spartans St. George's [a]
1912–13 Floriana (3) Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers [a]
1913–14 Ħamrun Spartans St. George's Valletta United [a]
1914–15 Valletta United Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers [a]
1915–16 League championship was not held
1916–17 St. George's Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans [a]
1917–18 Ħamrun Spartans (2) St. George's Sliema Wanderers [a]
1918–19 King's Own Malta Regiment Ħamrun United Royal Army Service Corps [a]
1919–20 Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans Valletta United [a]
1920–21 Floriana (4) Marsa United Ħamrun Spartans [a]
1921–22 Floriana (5) Sliema Wanderers Malta Police [a]
1922–23 Sliema Wanderers (2) Floriana Sliema Rangers [a]
1923–24 Sliema Wanderers (3) Vittoriosa Rovers Valletta United [a]
1924–25 Floriana (6) Sliema Wanderers Valletta United [a]
1925–26 Sliema Wanderers (4) Floriana Valletta United [a]
1926–27 Floriana (7) Sliema Wanderers St. George's [a]
1927–28 Floriana (8) Valletta United St. George's [a]
1928–29 Floriana (9) Sliema Wanderers Valletta United Malta P. Friggieri (Floriana) 4
1929–30 Sliema Wanderers (5) St. George's Valletta United [a]
1930–31 Floriana (10) Sliema Wanderers Valletta United Malta C. Cauchi (Floriana) 4
1931–32 Valletta United (2) Sliema Wanderers Sliema Hotspurs [a]
1932–33 Sliema Wanderers (6) Hibernians Sliema Rangers [a]
1933–34 Sliema Wanderers (7) Hibernians Malta A. Brincat (Sliema Wanderers) 2
1934–35 Floriana (11) Sliema Wanderers Hibernians Malta Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 11
1935–36 Sliema Wanderers (8)† Floriana Hibernians Austria Anton Mayerhoffer (Floriana) 3
1936–37 Floriana (12) Hibernians Sliema Wanderers England George Bond (Floriana) 4
1937–38 Sliema Wanderers (9) Floriana Valletta Malta Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers)
Malta C. Cauchi (Floriana) 		5
1938–39 Sliema Wanderers (10) Melita St. George's Malta Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 8
1939–40 Sliema Wanderers (11)† St. George's Melita Malta Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 18
1940–41 to 1943–44 League suspended owing to the Second World War
1944–45 Valletta (3) Sliema Athletics Floriana Malta Tony Nicholl (Sliema Athletics) 6
1945–46 Valletta (4) Sliema Wanderers Floriana [a]
1946–47 Ħamrun Spartans (3) Valletta Floriana Malta Maurice Decesare (Melita)
Malta C. Galea (Floriana) 		11
1947–48 Valletta (5) Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers Malta Freddie Landolina (Ħamrun Spartans) 16
1948–49 Sliema Wanderers (12) Ħamrun Spartans Valletta Malta Salvinu Schembri (Valletta)
Malta Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 		11
1949–50 Floriana (13)† Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers Malta Pace (Valletta) 16
1950–51 Floriana (14) Hibernians Valletta Malta Pullu Demanuele (Valletta) 14
1951–52 Floriana (15) Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers Malta Lolly Borg (Floriana) 17
1952–53 Floriana (16)† Birkirkara Valletta Malta Pace (Valletta) 9
1953–54 Sliema Wanderers (13) Floriana Ħamrun Spartans Malta Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 12
1954–55 Floriana (17)† Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans Malta Lolly Borg (Floriana)
Malta Tony Cauchi (Floriana) 		13
1955–56 Sliema Wanderers (14)† Floriana Ħamrun Spartans Malta Sammy Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 15
1956–57 Sliema Wanderers (15) Valletta Floriana Malta Sammy Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 14
1957–58 Floriana (18)† Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans Malta Pullu Demanuele (Floriana) 14
1958–59 Valletta (6) Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans Malta A. Cassar (Ħamrun Spartans) 11
1959–60 Valletta (7)† Hibernians Floriana Malta F. Zammit (Valletta)
Malta M. Azzopardi (Valletta) 		12
1960–61 Hibernians Valletta Sliema Wanderers Malta Tony Cauchi (Floriana) 12
1961–62 Floriana (19) Valletta Sliema Wanderers Malta Tony Cauchi (Floriana) 17
1962–63 Valletta (8) Hibernians Sliema Wanderers Malta M. Azzopardi (Valletta) 20
1963–64 Sliema Wanderers (16) Valletta Hibernians Malta A. Borg (Valletta) 11
1964–65 Sliema Wanderers (17)† Valletta Hibernians Malta Joe Cini (Sliema Wanderers) 12
1965–66 Sliema Wanderers (18) Floriana Hibernians Malta John Bonnett (Sliema Wanderers)
Malta Ronnie Cocks (Sliema Wanderers) 		6
1966–67 Hibernians (2) Sliema Wanderers Floriana Malta A. Delia (Hibernians) 8
1967–68 Floriana (20) Sliema Wanderers Hibernians Malta Joe Cini (Sliema Wanderers) 10
1968–69 Hibernians (3) Valletta Floriana Malta C. Cassar (Hibernians) 9
1969–70 Floriana (21) Sliema Wanderers Hibernians Malta Joe Cini (Sliema Wanderers)
Malta Ronnie Cocks (Sliema Wanderers) 		7
1970–71 Sliema Wanderers (19) Marsa Gżira United Malta Raymond Xuereb (Floriana) 5
1971–72 Sliema Wanderers (20) Floriana Valletta Malta T. Giglio (Valletta) 9
1972–73 Floriana (22) Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans Malta C. Borg (Ħamrun Spartans) 10
1973–74 Valletta (9) Hibernians Floriana Malta T. Camilleri (Sliema Wanderers) 9
1974–75 Floriana (23) Sliema Wanderers St. George's Malta Raymond Xuereb (Floriana) 17
1975–76 Sliema Wanderers (21) Floriana Hibernians Malta Richard Aquilina (Sliema Wanderers) 9
1976–77 Floriana (24) Sliema Wanderers Valletta Malta Raymond Xuereb (Floriana) 16
1977–78 Valletta (10)† Hibernians Sliema Wanderers Malta Leonard Farrugia (Valletta) 16
1978–79 Hibernians (4) Valletta Sliema Wanderers Malta C. Brincat (Marsa) 11
1979–80 Valletta (11) Hibernians Floriana Malta Emanuel Fabri (Sliema Wanderers)
Malta Leonard Farrugia (Valletta)
Malta F. Cristiano (Valletta) 		15

Premier League (1980–present)

Season Winner[4][5] Runner-up[4][5] Third place[6] Top scorer(s)[7] Goals[7]
1980–81 Hibernians (5) Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans Malta Ernest Spiteri-Gonzi (Hibernians) 13
1981–82 Hibernians (6)† Sliema Wanderers Żurrieq Malta Ernest Spiteri-Gonzi (Hibernians) 12
1982–83 Ħamrun Spartans (4)† Valletta Rabat Ajax Malta Leo Refalo (Ħamrun Spartans) 7
1983–84 Valletta (12) Rabat Ajax Ħamrun Spartans Bulgaria Georgi Ivanov (Ħamrun Spartans)
Malta Charles Muscat (Żurrieq) 		7
1984–85 Rabat Ajax Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers Malta Leonard Farrugia (Valletta) 9
1985–86 Rabat Ajax (2)† Hibernians Ħamrun Spartans Italy Gianluca De Ponti (Żurrieq) 8
1986–87 Ħamrun Spartans (5)† Valletta Żurrieq Malta Carmel Busuttil (Rabat Ajax) 10
1987–88 Ħamrun Spartans (6)† Sliema Wanderers Żurrieq England Barry Gallagher (Ħamrun Spartans) 7
1988–89 Sliema Wanderers (22) Valletta Ħamrun Spartans Malta Joe Zarb (Valletta) 11
1989–90 Valletta (13) Sliema Wanderers Hibernians Malta Joe Zarb (Valletta) 17
1990–91 Ħamrun Spartans (7) Valletta Floriana Malta Joe Zarb (Valletta) 12
1991–92 Valletta (14) Floriana Sliema Wanderers Malta Stefan Sultana (Ħamrun Spartans) 22
1992–93 Floriana (25)† Ħamrun Spartans Valletta Denmark Carl Zachhau (Hibernians) 22
1993–94 Hibernians (7) Floriana Valletta Denmark Carl Zachhau (Hibernians)
Malta Joe Zarb (Valletta) 		17
1994–95 Hibernians (8) Sliema Wanderers Valletta England Carl Saunders (Sliema Wanderers) 18
1995–96 Sliema Wanderers (23) Valletta Floriana Malta Aldrin Muscat (Sliema Wanderers) 18
1996–97 Valletta (15)† Birkirkara Floriana Serbia and Montenegro Danilo Dončić (Valletta) 32
1997–98 Valletta (16) Birkirkara Sliema Wanderers Malta Joe Brincat (Birkirkara/Floriana) 19
1998–99 Valletta (17)† Birkirkara Sliema Wanderers Malta Gilbert Agius (Valletta) 20
1999–2000 Birkirkara Valletta Floriana Malta Michael Mifsud (Sliema Wanderers) 21
2000–01 Valletta (18)† Sliema Wanderers Birkirkara Malta Michael Mifsud (Sliema Wanderers) 30
2001–02 Hibernians (9) Sliema Wanderers Birkirkara Serbia and Montenegro Danilo Dončić (Sliema Wanderers) 32
2002–03 Sliema Wanderers (24) Birkirkara Valletta Malta Adrian Mifsud (Hibernians
Serbia and Montenegro Danilo Dončić (Sliema Wanderers)
Malta Michael Galea (Birkirkara) 		18
2003–04 Sliema Wanderers (25)† Birkirkara Hibernians Serbia and Montenegro Danilo Dončić (Sliema Wanderers) 19
2004–05 Sliema Wanderers (26) Birkirkara Hibernians Malta Andrew Cohen (Hibernians) 21
2005–06 Birkirkara (2) Sliema Wanderers Marsaxlokk Malta Michael Galea (Birkirkara) 19
2006–07 Marsaxlokk Sliema Wanderers Birkirkara Malta Daniel Bogdanović (Marsaxlokk) 31
2007–08 Valletta (19) Marsaxlokk Birkirkara Argentina Omar Sebastián Monesterolo (Valletta) 19
2008–09 Hibernians (10) Valletta Birkirkara Malta Terence Scerri (Hibernians) 26
2009–10 Birkirkara (3) Valletta Sliema Wanderers Brazil Camilo Sanvezzo (Qormi) 24
2010–11 Valletta (20) Floriana Birkirkara Nigeria Alfred Effiong (Marsaxlokk)[b] 17
2011–12 Valletta (21) Hibernians Birkirkara Nigeria Obinna Obiefule (Marsaxlokk/Mosta) 34
2012–13 Birkirkara (4) Hibernians Valletta Spain Jose Luis Negrin (Melita/Rabat Ajax) 22
2013–14 Valletta (22)† Birkirkara Hibernians Brazil Jhonnattann (Birkirkara)
Brazil Edison Luiz dos Santos (Hibernians) 		21
2014–15 Hibernians (11) Valletta Birkirkara Brazil Jorginho (Hibernians)
Brazil Edison Luiz dos Santos (Hibernians) 		25
2015–16 Valletta (23) Hibernians Birkirkara Italy Mario Fontanella (Floriana) 20
2016–17 Hibernians (12) Balzan Birkirkara Montenegro Bojan Kaljević (Balzan) 23
2017–18 Valletta (24)† Balzan Gżira United Senegal Amadou Samb (Gżira United) 21
2018–19 Valletta (25) Hibernians Gżira United Brazil Taylon Correa (Hibernians) 19
2019–20 Floriana (26) Valletta Hibernians Albania Kristian Keqi (Floriana) 14
2020–21 Ħamrun Spartans (8) Hibernians Gżira United Colombia Kevin Rosero (St. Lucia) 17
2021–22 Hibernians (13) Floriana Ħamrun Spartans Brazil Maxuell Maia (Gżira United) 17
2022-23 Hamrun Spartans (9) Birkirkara Gżira United Brazil Jefferson de Assis (Gżira United) 20

Total titles won

Titles won by club (%)

  Sliema Wanderers – 26 (25%)
  Floriana – 26 (25%)
  Valletta – 25 (23%)
  Hibernians – 13 (11%)
  Ħamrun Spartans – 9 (10%)
  Birkirkara – 4 (4%)
  Other clubs – 4 (4%)
As of 5 April 2023
Club Winners Runners-up
Sliema Wanderers 26 29
Floriana 26 13
Valletta 25 18
Hibernians 13 14
Ħamrun Spartans 9 11
Birkirkara 4 8
Rabat Ajax 2 1
St. George's 1 4
Marsaxlokk 1 1
The King's Own Malta Regiment 1 0

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Unknown top-scorer due to no accurate records kept of the matches played
  2. ^ Alfred Effiong was born in Nigeria, but since March 2015 has a Maltese passport and has represented Malta in international football

References

  1. ^ "August 18 start for 2017/18 BOV Premier League". Malta Football Association. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Malta Football Association Council – Statement". Malta Football Association. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  3. ^ Lia, Gianluca (1 May 2022). "Hibs beat Birkirkara and seal 13th title crown". Times of Malta. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d "Malta - List of Champions and Runners-Up". RSSSF. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d "League Champions". MaltaFootball.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Malta - List of Final Tables". RSSSF. 1 January 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d "Malta - List of Topscorers". RSSSF. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
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