Looking back 2025 | How Ħamrun brought European football to Ta’ Qali

For years Maltese football has been weighed down by familiar disappointment. National team campaigns slipped away early, clubs struggled to make any real mark in Europe, and allegations of corruption often cast a shadow over any flicker of optimism.

But 2025 brought some hope. Finally, a nation obsessed with football could watch a Maltese team play European football well beyond the preliminary stages.

Ħamrun Spartans made history by becoming the first Maltese team to qualify to the league stage, formerly known as the group stage, of the UEFA Conference League. Progress to subsequent stages has been made easier by UEFA through the creation of new competitions, and reforms to their structures.

But this does not take away anything from Ħamrun’s success. Beating teams from the Lithuanian and Latvian top flight was no easy feat.

The road to success

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to interview club CEO Marcel Bonnici, who explained Ħamrun’s achievement was made possible through internal restructuring. He described how footballing structures in Malta have been anchored to the past for far too long.

While having a rich financier, such as in Ħamrun’s case, property magnate Joseph Portelli, can help pave the way to success, Bonnici argued this was only a small contributor in the overall equation.

“If you look at the clubs who qualified across Europe, only a handful managed to do so with the budget that we had. For me it’s a source of pride. Even the clubs we played on our way. RFS’s squad is valued at €10 million, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s squad at around €30 million and we kept fighting till the last minute, Ħamrun’s squad value stands at around €4.75 million,” he had said.

Football supporters, especially the long-suffering ones like me who follow Manchester United, know all too well that throwing money at a problem doesn’t magically fix it. Spending only makes sense when it’s tied to a clear, coherent strategy on the pitch.

This, Bonnici had explained, was the culture the club hoped to instil. Coach Giacomo Modica’s strategy focused on high-intensity attacking football. Bonnici explained how the philosophy is directly inspired from Modica’s time as right-hand man to legendary coach Zdenek Zeman. Its successful implementation, however, required players to be in top physical condition.

Trickle-down football-nomics?

But it’s not just Ħamrun that will indulge in the success. When a club qualifies for a European competition, the income it earns from UEFA can benefit the wider football ecosystem, even without considering tourism or matchday revenue.

Prize money allows clubs to invest in players, facilities, and youth development, while UEFA’s solidarity payments also distribute a portion of this income to all teams in the league.

UEFA allocated €285 million specifically for Conference League clubs, split across equal shares, performance bonuses, and market pool funds.

For qualifying to the league phase, Ħamrun earned around €3.2 million with subsequent bonuses for victories and draws.

But strong club performances in Europe can also improve a country’s UEFA coefficient that reduces qualifying hurdles.

A single club’s European success can create a financial and structural ripple effect that strengthens the entire Maltese football ecosystem.

Whether Ħamrun’s breakthrough in Europe was just a single moment of success will be seen next year but in 2025 the club certainly created the right foundations for long-term benefit.