American Football Hits Malta’s Shores! Sole Local Team To Face Bulgarian Champions In First-Ever ‘Bowl’
American Football, the gripping, hard-hitting cornerstone of American sporting culture, has finally hit Maltese shores after the announcement of the country’s first-ever ‘Bowl’.
The bowl (or match) will see Phoenix Malta American Football Team, the only franchise representing the country, face off against the Bulgarian title holders – Sofia Knights, at the Enteractive Bowl Malta, 2022.
The event marks the beginning of a number of matchups for Phoenix Malta, who have been contacted by several foreign teams to visit and play against the local AF side.
But to kick it all off, football fans and sports enthusiasts alike can now look forward to the full ‘American style’ arena experience, and with free entry too. That means pre-and post-game music and good old-fashioned hot dogs.
Speaking with Lovin Malta was Frankie Nanni, the team’s spokesperson:
“I am honoured to have been part of this organisation since day one,” he said. “We always worked hard to see this beautiful game flourish in Malta and attract as many people as possible, both on and off the pitch.”
“I hope, in the not-so-distant future, to introduce American Football in schools and open a ‘nursery’ for kids to grow and play the game. For them to learn the value of sport while also having fun.”
Malta’s Phoenix AFT was established in 2015. Though at the time it practiced a no-contact form of American Football. However, they made it all the way to the 2018 Sicilian division of the Italian Flag Football Championship, achieving a fourth-place overall in the league.
The following year, the team went full-contact by allowing ‘tackling’, after many new players started joining the team.
Later, COVID-19 hit, and the team was forced into a two-year hiatus. But now they’re back, and they have their eyes fixed on a number of international games, the first of which is against the Bulgarian title holders.
So mark the date in your calendars, grab a few beers and get yourselves geared up for an all-time first as Maltese football players take the field with a bang in their exciting superstar clash.
The bowl will take place on June 25th at the Charles Abela Memorial Stadium, Mosta, with a kick-off time of 6.30pm.
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