View source for Malta Football Association

{{Short description|Association football governing body of Malta}}
{{Infobox football association
| Logo               = Malta Football Association logo.svg
| Badge_size         = 200px
| Founded            = {{nowrap|{{Start date and age|df=yes|1900}}}}
| FIFA affiliation   = 1959
| Region             = [[UEFA]]
| Region affiliation = 1960
| Headquarters       = [[Ta' Qali]], Malta
| President          = [[Bjorn Vassallo]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://mfa.com.mt/en/news/news/3971/vassallo-elected-president-of-the-malta-football-association.htm |title=Vassallo elected President of the Malta Football Association |publisher=Malta Football Association |date=20 July 2019 |access-date=20 July 2019 }}</ref>
| Vice-President     = Ludovico Micallef<br />Matthew Paris<br />Adrian Casha<ref>{{cite news |url=https://mfa.com.mt/en/news/news/3975/malta-fa-top-officials-hold-first-meeting-following-2019-agm.htm |title=Malta FA top officials hold first meeting following 2019 AGM |publisher=Malta Football Association |date=22 July 2019 |access-date=22 July 2019 }}</ref>
| Website = {{URL|https://www.mfa.com.mt|mfa.com.mt}}
}}

[[File:Malta Football Association.svg|thumb|150px|Former emblem of MFA (used until 2022)]]

The '''Malta Football Association''' ('''MFA'''; {{langx|mt|Assoċjazzjoni tal-Futbol ta' Malta}}) is the governing body of [[football (soccer)|football]] in [[Malta]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131027/football/What-can-Malta-learn-from-Iceland-s-football-success-.492059#.UoVUc3DxrZ4 |title=What can Malta learn from Iceland's football success? |publisher=timesofmalta.com |date=2013-10-27 |access-date=2013-11-15}}</ref>

The Association organises the [[Maltese Football League]] for both men and women and several other competitions, including knockout competitions for the top teams for both genders. The [[Malta national football team|men's national team]], [[Malta women's national football team|women's national team]], as well as several youth representative teams compete regularly in international competitions organised by [[UEFA]] and [[FIFA]]. These include the European Championships and the World Cup. Malta also compete in the [[UEFA Futsal Championship]], though not the [[UEFA Women's Futsal Championship]] to date.

The MFA manages the [[Ta'Qali Stadium|National stadium]] and the Centenary Stadium nearby. This complex is based in Ta` Qali and includes training grounds, a gymnasium, a swimming pool and physiotherapy and medical clinics. The complex is also used by foreign clubs during the winter months, due to the mild temperatures of the Maltese Islands.

The association is one of the oldest and one of the best in Europe, having been founded in 1900 with the first national league being organised in season 1909–1910. There are several important landmarks in the history of Maltese football, especially since Malta played its first official international friendly match against [[Austria national football team|Austria]] in February 1957. The result was a narrow 3–2 defeat for Malta.

It took until 1959 for the MFA to join [[FIFA]], also joining [[UEFA]] the year after in 1960. From then onwards, Malta become an ever-present in international competitions at national teams as well as at club levels.

During 2019, the MFA also entered into talks with the [[Italian Football Federation]] and the [[Lega Pro]] to discuss the possibility of the MFA fielding a professional team within the [[Italian football league system]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mfa.com.mt/en/news/news/4169/positive-talks-between-malta-fa-and-lega-pro-officials.htm |title=Positive talks between Malta FA and Lega Pro officials |publisher=Malta Football Association |date=25 November 2019 |access-date=28 December 2019 }}</ref>

The MFA is structured by having 53 member clubs, as well as 10 member associations. The clubs compete in four divisions; the premier, first, second and
third. The member associations are specialised football associations who organise competitions for clubs affiliated to them. The member associations include:

*the [[Gozo Football Association]] &ndash; organises competitions for teams on the island of [[Gozo Island|Gozo]]
*Inter Amateur Soccer Competition
*Employees Sports Association
*Malta Hotels and Restaurants Sports Association
*Industries Soccer Association
*District Football Association
*[[Malta Youth Football Association]] &ndash; for players under 16 
*Malta Amateur Football Association
*Malta Football Coaches Association
*Malta Football Referees Association

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.mfa.com.mt/en/home.htm Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405135703/https://mfa.com.mt/en/home.htm |date=2022-04-05 }} {{In lang|en}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070606232701/http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=mlt/index.html Malta at FIFA site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100208170753/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=MLT/index.html Malta at UEFA site]
*[https://www.maltafootball.com/ Maltafootball.com]

{{Football in Malta}}
{{Malta national football team}}
{{UEFA associations}}
{{Sports governing bodies in Malta}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National members of UEFA|Malta]]
[[Category:Football governing bodies in Malta| ]]
[[Category:Futsal in Malta]]
[[Category:Sports governing bodies in Malta|Football]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1900]]
[[Category:1900 establishments in Malta]]
[[Category:Association football governing bodies in Europe]]