Maltese First Division


The Maltese First Division is the second-highest division in Maltese football, behind the Maltese Premier League. The First Division was the precursor of the present Premier League until the latter was revamped for the 1980–81 season.

Format

Since the 2014–15 season, the league is made up of fourteen teams. Over the course of the season, each team plays twice against the others in the league, resulting in each team completing 26 games in total. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the table by:
  1. Total points gained
In the need of a tie-breaker, a play-off game is played. At the end of the season, the top two teams are directly promoted to the Premier League; an additional place is reserved for the winner of the relegation play-off between the twelfth-placed Premier League team and the third-placed First Division side. The three lowest-finishing teams are relegated to the Second Division, with the twelfth-placed team playing a relegation/promotion play-off game against the third-placed Second Division side.

Clubs

2018–19 season

The following 14 clubs will compete in the First Division during the 2018–19 season.
TeamFinishing position last seasonLocationStadiumCapacity
Gudja United1st in Second Division GudjaGudja Ground1,000
Lija Athletic14th in Premier League LijaLija Stadium500
Marsa11thMarsaLuxol Sports Ground800
Mqabba5thMqabbaVictor Tedesco Stadium6,000
Naxxar Lions13th in Premier League NaxxarCentenary Stadium2,000
Pembroke Athleta8thPembrokeLuxol Sports Ground800
Qrendi9thQrendiLuxol Sports Ground800
San Ġwann6thSan ĠwannCentenary Stadium2,000
St. Lucia2nd in Second Division Santa LuċijaLuxol Sports Ground800
Sirens10thSt. Paul's BaySirens Stadium1,500
Swieqi United3rd in Second Division SwieqiLuxol Sports Ground800
Vittoriosa Stars7thBirguTony Cassar Sports Ground1,000
Żebbuġ Rangers4thŻebbuġŻebbuġ Ground1,000
Żejtun Corinthians3rdŻejtun

Results

YearChampionsRunner-upThird Place Relegated
1998–99Gozo F.C.ŻurrieqMellieha SC, Siggiewi
1999–00Ħamrun SpartansXghajra TornadoesGzira United, Zebbug Rangers
2000–01MarsaLija AthleticTarxien Rainbows, Żurrieq
2001–02MarsaxlokkMostaQormi, St. Andrews
2002–03Msida St. JosephBalzan YouthsGozo, Xgħajra Tornadoes
2003–04St. PatrickLija AthleticTarxien Rainbows, Rabat Ajax
2004–05Ħamrun SpartansMostaBalzan Youths, Gozo
2005–06St. George'sMarsaLija Athletic, St. Andrews
2006–07Ħamrun SpartansMqabbaSan Ġwann, Naxxar
2007–08Tarxien RainbowsQormiMellieħa, Marsa
2008–09Dingli SwallowsVittoriosa StarsRabat Ajax, Senglea Athletics
2009–10MarsaxlokkVittoriosa StarsSt. Patrick, San Ġwann
2010–11Balzan YouthsMqabbaMostaPietà Hotspurs, Msida St. Joseph
2011–12MelitaRabat AjaxSt. Patrick, St. George's
2012–13Naxxar LionsVittoriosa StarsDingli Swallows, Mqabba
2013–14Pietà HotspursŻebbuġ RangersĦamrun Spartans, Żejtun Corinthians
2014–15Pembroke AthletaSt. AndrewsŻurrieq, Msida St. Joseph, Birżebbuġa St. Peter's
2015–16Gżira UnitedĦamrun SpartansGudja United, St. George's, San Ġwann
2016–17Lija AthetlicSenglea AthleticNaxxar LionsFgura United, Għargħur
2017–18QormiPietà HotspursŻabbar St. Patrick, Melita, Rabat Ajax
2018–19SirensGudja UnitedSanta Luċija F.C.Marsa, San Ġwann
2019–20Zejtun CorinthiansLija Athetlicno relegation