List of Maltese football champions

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.

List of Maltese football champions
Founded1909
Country Malta
ConfederationUEFA
Number of clubs14
Current championsĦamrun Spartans (10th title)
(2023–24 season)
Most championshipsSliema Wanderers
Floriana
(26 titles each)
Current: 2023–24 Maltese Premier League

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

Champions

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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)

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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   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   P. Friggieri (Floriana) 4
1929–30 Sliema Wanderers (5) St. George's Valletta United [a]
1930–31 Floriana (10) Sliema Wanderers Valletta United   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   A. Brincat (Sliema Wanderers) 2
1934–35 Floriana (11) Sliema Wanderers Hibernians   Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 11
1935–36 Sliema Wanderers (8) Floriana Hibernians   Anton Mayerhoffer (Floriana) 3
1936–37 Floriana (12) Hibernians Sliema Wanderers   George Bond (Floriana) 4
1937–38 Sliema Wanderers (9) Floriana Valletta   Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers)
  C. Cauchi (Floriana)
5
1938–39 Sliema Wanderers (10) Melita St. George's   Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 8
1939–40 Sliema Wanderers (11) St. George's Melita   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   Tony Nicholl (Sliema Athletics) 6
1945–46 Valletta (4) Sliema Wanderers Floriana [a]
1946–47 Ħamrun Spartans (3) Valletta Floriana   Maurice Decesare (Melita)
  C. Galea (Floriana)
11
1947–48 Valletta (5) Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers   Freddie Landolina (Ħamrun Spartans) 16
1948–49 Sliema Wanderers (12) Ħamrun Spartans Valletta   Salvinu Schembri (Valletta)
  Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers)
11
1949–50 Floriana (13) Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers   Pace (Valletta) 16
1950–51 Floriana (14) Hibernians Valletta   Pullu Demanuele (Valletta) 14
1951–52 Floriana (15) Ħamrun Spartans Sliema Wanderers   Lolly Borg (Floriana) 17
1952–53 Floriana (16) Birkirkara Valletta   Pace (Valletta) 9
1953–54 Sliema Wanderers (13) Floriana Ħamrun Spartans   Tony Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 12
1954–55 Floriana (17) Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans   Lolly Borg (Floriana)
  Tony Cauchi (Floriana)
13
1955–56 Sliema Wanderers (14) Floriana Ħamrun Spartans   Sammy Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 15
1956–57 Sliema Wanderers (15) Valletta Floriana   Sammy Nicholl (Sliema Wanderers) 14
1957–58 Floriana (18) Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans   Pullu Demanuele (Floriana) 14
1958–59 Valletta (6) Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans   A. Cassar (Ħamrun Spartans) 11
1959–60 Valletta (7) Hibernians Floriana   F. Zammit (Valletta)
  M. Azzopardi (Valletta)
12
1960–61 Hibernians Valletta Sliema Wanderers   Tony Cauchi (Floriana) 12
1961–62 Floriana (19) Valletta Sliema Wanderers   Tony Cauchi (Floriana) 17
1962–63 Valletta (8) Hibernians Sliema Wanderers   M. Azzopardi (Valletta) 20
1963–64 Sliema Wanderers (16) Valletta Hibernians   A. Borg (Valletta) 11
1964–65 Sliema Wanderers (17) Valletta Hibernians   Joe Cini (Sliema Wanderers) 12
1965–66 Sliema Wanderers (18) Floriana Hibernians   John Bonnett (Sliema Wanderers)
  Ronnie Cocks (Sliema Wanderers)
6
1966–67 Hibernians (2) Sliema Wanderers Floriana   A. Delia (Hibernians) 8
1967–68 Floriana (20) Sliema Wanderers Hibernians   Joe Cini (Sliema Wanderers) 10
1968–69 Hibernians (3) Valletta Floriana   C. Cassar (Hibernians) 9
1969–70 Floriana (21) Sliema Wanderers Hibernians   Joe Cini (Sliema Wanderers)
  Ronnie Cocks (Sliema Wanderers)
7
1970–71 Sliema Wanderers (19) Marsa Gżira United   Raymond Xuereb (Floriana) 5
1971–72 Sliema Wanderers (20) Floriana Valletta   T. Giglio (Valletta) 9
1972–73 Floriana (22) Sliema Wanderers Ħamrun Spartans   C. Borg (Ħamrun Spartans) 10
1973–74 Valletta (9) Hibernians Floriana   T. Camilleri (Sliema Wanderers) 9
1974–75 Floriana (23) Sliema Wanderers St. George's   Raymond Xuereb (Floriana) 17
1975–76 Sliema Wanderers (21) Floriana Hibernians   Richard Aquilina (Sliema Wanderers) 9
1976–77 Floriana (24) Sliema Wanderers Valletta   Raymond Xuereb (Floriana) 16
1977–78 Valletta (10) Hibernians Sliema Wanderers   Leonard Farrugia (Valletta) 16
1978–79 Hibernians (4) Valletta Sliema Wanderers   C. Brincat (Marsa) 11
1979–80 Valletta (11) Hibernians Floriana   Emanuel Fabri (Sliema Wanderers)
  Leonard Farrugia (Valletta)
  F. Cristiano (Valletta)
15

Premier League (1980–present)

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

Total titles won

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Titles won by club (%)

  Sliema Wanderers – 26 (25%)
  Floriana – 26 (25%)
  Valletta – 25 (23%)
  Hibernians – 13 (11%)
  Ħamrun Spartans – 10 (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  10 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

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  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

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  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.