UEFA-standard football stadium proposed in Marsa

The Marsa Football Club, which competed in the Challenge League this season, has submitted an application for the construction of a fully-fledged UEFA-standard 11-a-side stadium.

The stadium with a roofed seating area will be built on land at the Marsa sports grounds. The project also includes an adjacent sports hostel built over six levels. The hostel is set to include sports-related shops and catering areas.

The hostel and football ground are being proposed on 14,839sq.m of land, which had been transferred to Marsa FC by parliament in previous years.

As proposed, the football pitch will be constructed above a street-level car park for 200 cars, along with facilities for the football club and its nursery.

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has requested an archaeological evaluation of the site before issuing its clearance for the development. However, it has noted that photomontages indicate the views and vistas of the harbour fortifications are unlikely to be negatively impacted.

Marsa FC was granted 7,430sq.m of land at the Marsa sports grounds in 2018 to be developed into a football pitch. A further 3,800sq.m of land were transferred to the club in 2021, followed by another 3,010sq.m in 2024.

The club had revealed its grand plans to members two years ago.

A law regulating the commercialisation of sports facilities grants sports organisations the right to conduct commercial activities within their facilities. Agreements between clubs and third parties to operate commercial facilities require approval by parliament and Sports Malta, a government agency.

Marsa FC was founded in 1920 and its most notable achievement was in the 1970-71 season when the club played in Malta’s highest division and came second. This placing secured Marsa FC a slot in the UEFA Cup, where they were drawn to play against Italian giants Juventus. Marsa lost 6-0 in Malta and 5-0 in Turin.

The club has on several other occasions played in the highest division of Maltese football.

Correction: A previous version identified the site where the stadium is to be built as the Marsa Sports Club. The land actually forms part of the Marsa sports grounds and has nothing to do with the Marsa Sports Club, which occupies a different area within the grounds. The eror is regretted.