2021–22 Maltese Challenge League

The 2021–22 Maltese Challenge League (referred to as the BOV Challenge League for sponsorship reasons) is the second-level league football in Malta. It is the second season that the competition has been running in its present form.

Maltese Challenge League
Season2021–22
Dates10 September 2021 – May 2022
2022–23 →
All statistics correct as of 28 May 2021.

Following the decision of the Maltese Football Association Executive Committee, the teams that had finished in the promotion and relegation places in the previous Challenge League season would remain in the Challenge League in the 2021-22 season (with the exception of Qormi, due to less than 75% of the matches having been completed in the competition.[1][2][3] Relegation from the Premier League and promotion from the National Amateur League remained in place due to these competitions being adequately completed. This season will therefore see twenty-two teams compete rather than the sixteen that had been originally expected. This will take place within two groups on eleven teams with the top two clubs from either group earning promotion to the Premier League. The situation regarding relegation to the Amateur League has yet to be decided.[4][5]

Teams
Location of teams in 2021–22 Maltese Premier League

Twenty-two teams will compete in the league which will include the four teams promoted from the Amateur League and four teams relegated from the Premier League. The top two teams from either group will achieve automatic promotion with the end of season leaders of the two groups meeting in a playoff to decide who with be the champion for 2021-22. The bottom three clubs of both groups will be automatically relegated without any playoffs.

Team Location
Fgura United Fgura
Lija Athletic Lija
Luqa St. Andrew's Luqa
Marsa Marsa
Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk
Melita San Ġiljan
Mġarr United Mġarr
Mqabba Mqabba
Naxxar Lions Naxxar
Pembroke Athleta Pembroke
Pietà Hotspurs Pietà
Qrendi Qrendi
Rabat Ajax F.C. Rabat
San Ġwann San Ġwann
Senglea Athletic Senglea
St. Andrews St. Andrew's, Malta
St. George's Cospicua
Swieqi United Swieqi
Tarxien Rainbows Tarxien
Vittoriosa Stars Birgu
Żebbuġ Rangers Żebbuġ
Żejtun Corinthians Żejtun

League tables

Challenge League Group A
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Naxxar Lions 9 8 0 1 18 5 +13 24 Promotion to the 2022–23 Maltese Premier League
2 Pembroke Athleta 9 6 3 0 20 8 +12 21
3 Żejtun Corinthians 9 6 2 1 23 13 +10 20
4 Melita 9 4 2 3 10 9 +1 14
5 Marsaxlokk 9 4 1 4 15 12 +3 13
6 San Ġwann 9 2 4 3 15 9 +6 10
7 Lija Athletic 8 2 3 3 14 14 0 9
8 Rabat Ajax 8 2 2 4 9 15 −6 8
9 Mqabba 9 2 2 5 13 20 −7 8 Relegation to the 2022-23 Maltese National Amateur League
10 Vittoriosa Stars 8 2 0 6 7 21 −14 6
11 St. George's 9 0 1 8 7 25 −18 1
Updated to match(es) played on 13 December 2021. Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points

Challenge League Group B
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Tarxien Rainbows 9 5 4 0 21 9 +12 19 Promotion to the 2022–23 Maltese Premier League
2 Pietà Hotspurs 9 6 1 2 13 7 +6 19
3 Żebbuġ Rangers 9 4 2 3 18 8 +10 14
4 Marsa 9 3 5 1 14 8 +6 14
5 Qrendi 9 4 1 4 15 14 +1 13
6 Swieqi United 9 3 4 2 9 11 −2 13
7 Fgura United 9 3 3 3 14 9 +5 12
8 Senglea Athletic 10 3 1 6 9 22 −13 10
9 St. Andrews 9 2 3 4 15 16 −1 9 Relegation to the 2022-23 Maltese National Amateur League
10 Mġarr United 9 2 1 6 6 17 −11 7
11 Luqa St. Andrew's 9 1 3 5 5 18 −13 6
Updated to match(es) played on 13 December 2021. Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points

Results

Challenge League Group A Results
Home \ Away LIJ MXK MEL MQA NXL PEM RAB SĠW STG VST ŻEJ
Lija Athletic — 1–1 2–2 4–0
Marsaxlokk 3–4 — 3–1 3–0 1–1 1–3
Melita 2–1 1–0 — 0–0 0–2
Mqabba 1–1 — 2–3 1–2 2–1 2–4
Naxxar Lions 2–0 5–0 — 1–0 3–0
Pembroke Athleta 4–1 — 1–1 2–0 2–2
Rabat Ajax 0–2 — 2–7 1–1 3–0 0–2
San Ġwann 0–1 0–0 0–1 — 4–0
St. George's 1–3 0–2 1–4 0–1 — 3–5
Vittoriosa Stars 0–3 1–4 2–1 3–1 —
Żejtun Corinthians 3–1 2–1 2–3 0–0 —
Updated to match(es) played on 13 December 2021. Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Challenge League Group B Results
Home \ Away FGU LSA MSA MĠA PHS QND SEN STA SWI TAR ŻEB
Fgura United — 1–1 0–1 5–1 2–2 3–0
Luqa St. Andrew's — 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–8
Marsa 1–1 1–1 — 1–0 5–0 2–2
Mġarr United 1–0 0–2 — 1–0 1–4 1–2
Pietà Hotspurs 2–0 3–0 — 1–0 3–1 1–3
Qrendi 3–1 1–1 — 2–3 1–2 2–0
Senglea Athletic 1–0 — 2–1 0–1 1–6 0–3
St. Andrews 1–2 3–1 1–1 — 2–2
Swieqi United 1–0 0–0 1–3 — 0–3
Tarxien Rainbows 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–0 —
Żebbuġ Rangers 0–0 0–1 2–0 2–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 13 December 2021. Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

References
  1. "Sports ban forces termination of domestic competitions". MFA. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  2. "MFA EXCO step up fight against money laundering and bad practices in Maltese football". Times of Malta. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  3. "MFA Exco approve proposals to increase of number of overseas players in matchday squads". Times of Malta. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  4. "New format proposed by MFA EXCO for expanded Challenge League". Times of Malta. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  5. "MFA Council to vote for composition of national competitions for 2021-22 season on Tuesday". Times of Malta. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
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