February 1998
Sat 28
- Four clubs were denied permission to negotiate any transfer of players unless they pay amounts of money they owe to former players/coaches. These clubs are Hamrun Spartans (for having large debts with Hibs regarding the transfer of Edwin Camilleri, with Kim Wright and with their present player Edmond Lufi) together with Hibernians, Sliema W. and Marsa (as these clubs still owe Brian Crawley, Mark Miller and Joe Aquilina, respectively, a part of their salaries.
- Premier League Naxxar L. vs Tarxien R. 1-1, Hibernians vs Pieta` H. 0-3
- Division 2 Pembroke A. vs Gudja U. 0-2, Sta. Venera L. vs Mqabba 0-0
- Women's League - Division 1 Melita vs Mosta 0-4, Birkirkara vs Lija A. 1-1
- Women's League - Division 2 Planets G. vs St. Andrews L. 2-2
- Gozo - Division 2 Oratory Y. vs Marsalforn SP 7-0, Zebbug R. vs Gharb R. 2-0
Wed 25
- The MFA launched the 'Centenary Stadium' project. This is the new stadium that will be built next to the Training Grounds at Ta' Qali and which will host Division 2 and Division 3 football. It is planned that if the Planning Authority approves the project in the coming weeks, the stadium should be ready by January 1999. It will have a synthetic pitch, a capacity of 2000 spectators and will be floodlit.
- The following players were suspended for one match by the MFA Disciplinary Commissioner: Chucks Nwoko (B'Kara), Edwin Camilleri (Hamrun), Sinisa Radak (Naxxar), Christian Gauci (Hamrun), Edwin Gauci (Marsa - 3 matches) and S. Sant (Mosta).
Tue 24
- Premier League Naxxar L. vs Xghajra T. 1-1
Sun 22
- Premier League Tarxien R. vs Pieta` H. 0-2, Valletta vs Birkirkara 4-1
- Division 2/3 Knock Out Senglea A. vs Pembroke A. 0-1, Qormi vs Gozo 2-0
Sat 21
- Premier League Hibernians vs Xghajra T. 3-0, Hamrun S. vs Naxxar L. 0-0
- Division 1 Mosta vs Mellieha 2-6, Lija A. vs Marsa 3-0, Siggiewi vs Dingli S. 1-0
- Gozo - Division 1 Munxar F. vs SK Victoria W. 0-4, Qala SJ vs Kercem A.
- The MFA published Malta's fixtures for EURO 2000. 6 Sep '98 (A) vs Macedonia; 10 Oct '98 (H) vs Croatia; 14 Oct '98 (A) vs Eire; 18 Nov '98 (H) vs Macedonia; 10 Feb '99 (H) vs Yugoslavia; 31 Mar '99 (A) vs Croatia; 9 Jun '99 (A) vs Yugoslavia; 8 Sep '99 (H) vs Eire
- A number of changes in the MFA leagues are being proposed for next season. The first proposal is that
- the Premier League will be played in two phases. The first will consist in a two-round league and in the second phase, clubs are divided in a Championship Pool (6 teams) and a Relegation Pool (4 teams) . Clubs would carry the points obtained in the first phase into the second, just like the system which is adopted in Switzerland.
For Division 2, it was proposed that for the next couple of seasons, the competition is played on a single round between the 14 clubs. Two teams are then promoted and three relegated, so that as from season 2000/01, the competition will be played between 12 clubs divided in two sections.
Another proposal is to remove foreign players from the Second and Third Division clubs. Foreigners in the lower divisions are the main reason for financial problems faced by these clubs.
The last proposal is that, to encourage clubs to make use of young players rather than signing veterans usually coming from the Premier League, no club could register players who are over 35 years of age.
Fri 20
- The Malta Football Association is planning to commemorate its 100th
- anniversary which falls in the Year 2000. A competition between all the clubs from the Premier to the Third Divisions, or a competition for each division, are being considered.
Thu 19
- Gozo - Premier Xaghra U. vs Xewkija T. 1-1
Wed 18
- The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended the following players: Kevin Noteman and Alan Mifsud (both Hibs), George Buttigieg (Tarxien), Marco Manso (Naxxar) and Kevin Bonnici (St. Patrick) for one match each. St. Patrick's coach Atanas Marinov was suspended for 4 months.
- Gozo - Premier Ghajnsielem vs Victoria H. 2-2
Tue 17
- The MFA did not accept Valletta's request to either anticipate or postpone Sunday's fixture against Birkirkara because of the Carnival celebrations on Sunday afternoon. Jeremy Agius (Valletta) and Ivan Zammit (B'Kara) are two players who take an active part in Carnival.
Sun 15
- Premier League Sliema W. vs Hibernians 0-1, Birkirkara vs Floriana 1-1
- Division 1 Zurrieq vs Siggiewi 1-3, Rabat A. vs St. Patrick 2-1
- Division 2 Sta. Lucia vs Gzira U. 1-2, Gozo FC vs Ghaxaq 7-3
- Division 3 Attard vs Gharghur 3-1, Melita vs Senglea A. 2-2
Sat 14
Premier League Xghajra T. vs Tarxien R. 3-0, Naxxar L. vs Pieta` H. 1-3
- Division 3 Zejtun C. vs Msida SJ 1-1, Birzebbuga SP vs Balzan Y. 2-0
- Women's League - Division 1 Rabat A. vs Birkirkara 2-1, Hibernians vs Hamrun S. 4-0
- Women's League - Division 2 Raiders vs Mellieha 2-0
- Gozo - Division 2 Marsalforn SP vs Gharb R. 0-1, St. Lawrence S. vs Zebbug R. 0-3
- In the National Sports Awards, Valletta FC won the award as Team of the Year for 1997.
Fri 13
- Hubert Suda won the Player of the Month Award for the month of January 1998.
Thu 12
- The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended only one player from the top leagues: Martin Portelli (St. George's) for 2 matches.
Tue 10
- Rothmans International Tournament Latvia vs Albania 2-2, Malta vs Georgia 1-3
- Division 2 Marsaxlokk vs Vittoriosa S. 0-3, St. Andrews vs Qormi 1-0
- Gozo - Premier Xaghra U. vs Ghajnsielem 3-0, Nadur Y. vs Xewkija T. 1-0
Sun 8
Rothmans International Tournament Albania vs Georgia 0-3, Malta vs Latvia 2-1
- Division 2 San Gwann vs Sta. Venera L. 1-2, Zebbug R. vs Pembroke A. 0-3
- Gozo - Division 1 Qala SJ vs Munxar F. 6-0, Sannat L vs SK Victoria W. 4-0
- Friendly match: Hamrun Spartans vs Proleter (Yugoslavia) 0-0
Sat 7
- Division 1 Siggiewi vs Mosta 1-3, Marsa vs Rabat A. 0-4, St. George's vs Lija 1-4, Mellieha vs Dingli S. 5-3
- Division 3 Sirens vs Luqa SA 1-2, Kirkop U. vs Fgura U. 2-0
- Women's League - Division 1 Birkirkara vs Hibernians 6-1
- Women's League - Division 2 St. Andrews vs Raiders 1-2, Qormi vs Floriana 1-1
- Gozo - Premier Xewkija T. vs Ghajnsielem 4-3, Nadur Y. vs Victoria H. 0-2
Fri 6
- Rothmans International Tournament Georgia vs Latvia 2-1, Malta vs Albania 1-1
Wed 4
- The MFA Disciplinary Commissioner suspended the following players: Lazar Tonozliev (Pieta` - 1 match), Ludvic Bartolo (Xghajra - 1), Edmond Zammit (Zurrieq - 2), Michael Farrugia (Rabat - 1) and Anthony Bonello and Jason Cutajar (both St. George's - 1 match each).
Tue 3
- Gozo - Premier Nadur Y. vs Xaghra U. 4-0
Mon 2
- Mr Emanuel Zammit was chosen to form part of the panel of Referees and Assistant Referees for the World Cup in France. Mr Zammit who is a qualified Assistant Referee (linesman) will be the first Maltese official to take part in a World Cup.
- National coach Josip Ilic will leave the following players out of the squad because they are currently injured: Richard Buhagiar, Darren Debono, Ivan Zammit, Reggie Cini, Silvio Vella, David Camilleri and Brian Said.
- The national team will play the following friendlies: 25th March Finland (home), 22nd April Liechtenstein (away), 3rd June Wales (home), 24 June - 8 July training camp in Yugoslavia plus two other friendlies on the 19th August and 2nd September. In the meantime, Malta's Under 21 side will face Italy Under 21 currently coached by Marco Tardelli on the 25th March.
- The following are the draws for the Rothmans Trophy Second Round and Division 2/3 Knock Out Semi Finals. Rothmans Trophy (19 Mar) Marsa vs Tarxien, Xghajra vs Hibs, Naxxar vs Hamrun, Lija vs Pieta`; Div 2/3 K.O. Senglea vs Pembroke, Qormi vs Gozo
Sun 1
- Premier League Hamrun S. vs Valletta 1-3, Hibernians vs Birkirkara 1-5. Hibs coach Mark Miller will probably resign after this heavy defeat.
- Rothmans Trophy Lija A. vs Siggiewi 4-0
- Division 2 Gudja U. vs Sta. Lucia 1-5, Mqabba vs Gozo FC 1-2
- Division 3 Ta' Xbiex vs Melita 1-4, Mgarr U. vs Attard 3-1, Balzan Y. vs Kirkop U. 0-0, Msida SJ vs Sirens 3-2
- Gozo - Division 1 Sannat L. vs Qala SJ 4-2