Maltese Challenge League
{{short description|Association football league in Malta}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox football league
| logo = BOV_Challenge_League.webp
| pixels = 180px
| country = {{MLT}}
| founded = 2019
| teams = 16
| promotion = Maltese Premier League
| relegation = National Amateur League
| levels = 2
| domest_cup = Maltese FA Trophy
Challenge Cup
| confed_cup =
| champions = Valletta (1st title)
| season = 2024–25
| current = 2025–26 Maltese Challenge League
}}
The Maltese Challenge League (referred to as the BOV Challenge League for sponsorship reasons{{cite news |url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150712/football/malta-fa-bov-agree-new-three-year-sponsorship-deal.576251 |title=Malta FA, BOV agree new three-year sponsorship deal |newspaper=Times of Malta |first=Kevin |last=Azzopardi |date=12 July 2015}}) 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 with the Maltese Challenge League instituted for the 2020–21 season following the premature end of the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |url=https://www.mfa.com.mt/en/leagues/leagues/89/bov-challenge-league.htm |title=BOV Challenge League |website=Malta Football Association |access-date=7 February 2021}}
Format
Since the 2022–23 season, the league is made up of eighteen teams. Over the course of the season, each team plays twice against the others in the league, resulting in each team completing thirty-four 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:{{cite web |url=http://www.scoresway.com/?sport=soccer&page=competition&id=473&view=rules |title=First Division Seasonal Rules |website=Scoresway |access-date=16 September 2018}}
- 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 Maltese Challenge League side. The four lowest-finishing teams are relegated to the National Amateur League.{{cite web |url=https://www.mfa.com.mt/en/news/news/4432/2020-21-bov-premier-league-set-for-exciting-start.htm |title=2020–21 BOV Premier League set for exciting start |website=Malta Football Association |access-date=7 February 2021}}
Venues
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| rowspan="4" | {{Location map+|Malta|float=center|width=250|caption=|places=
{{location map~ |Malta|lat=35.894783 |long=14.415172|label=Centenary Stadium|position=left}} {{Location map~ |Malta|lat=35.886111 |long=14.489444 |label=Victor Tedesco Stadium|position=right}}}} ! Ta' Qali ! Hamrun |
|---|
| Centenary Stadium |
| Capacity: 3,000
| Capacity: 1,962 |
| 200px
| 200px |
Results
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://mfa.com.mt/en/leagues/leagues/62/bov-first-division.htm First Division] on Malta Football Association
{{Maltese First Division seasons}}
{{Maltese football}}
{{UEFA second leagues}}
Category:Second-level football leagues in Europe
{{Malta-footy-competition-stub}}