Inaugural BOV National Amateur League kicks off on Friday

The inaugural BOV National Amateur League will herald a new era in Maltese football as it is a merger of the Second and Third Division leagues which should generate more interest and excitement. The third-tier championship will be contested by 22 teams which have been divided into three groups. Group A is made up of eight teams – Birżebbuġa St Peter’s, Għargħur, Għaxaq, Marsaskala, Mellieħa, Mġarr United, Ta’ Xbiex and Żurrieq. Group B and C comprise seven teams each. The teams in Group B are Luqa St Andrew’s, Mdina Knights, Msida St Joseph, Mtarfa, Rabat Ajax, Siġġiewi and Żabbar St Patrick while the teams in Group C are Attard, Dingli Swallows, Kalkara United, Kirkop United, Melita, Santa Venera Lightnings and Xgħajra Tornados. The league will be contested over two rounds with the winners of each section winning promotion to the BOV Challenge League in 2021/22. At the end of the regular season, the group winners will play for the National Amateur League title on a round-robin basis with the winning side declared champions. The clubs finishing in second, third, and fourth place in each group will accede to the play-offs with the eventual winner securing promotion to the BOV Challenge League, bringing the total of promoted teams from the BOV National Amateur League to four. The 2020/21 BOV National Amateur League kick offs today at the Victor Tedesco Stadium with the Group A match between Żurrieq and Mellieħa (18.00hrs). OPENING PROGRAMME Friday, 16 October, 2020Victor Tedesco Stadium – Group A 18.00 Żurrieq vs Mellieħa; 21.15 Birżebbuġa St Peter’s vs Għargħur. Saturday, 17 October, 2020Luxol Stadium – Group B 15.00 Rabat Ajax vs Żabbar St Patrick.Sirens Stadium – Group C 15.00 Melita vs Kalkara United; 18.15 Xgħajra Tornados vs Attard. Sunday, 18 October, 2020Luxol Stadium – Group A 15.00 Għaxaq vs Marsaskala; 18.15 Ta’ Xbiex vs Mġarr United.Sirens Stadium – Group B 15.00 Msida St Joseph vs Mdina Knights; Group C 18.15 Kirkop United vs Dingli Swallows.