The National League I (referred to as the BOV National League I for sponsorship reasons) is the third-highest division in Maltese football. It replaced the Maltese Second Division and Maltese Third Division during the 2020–21 season following the premature end of the previous football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Format
22 clubs: 2020–21 19 clubs: 2021–22 21 clubs: 2022–23 23 clubs: 2023–24 16 clubs: 2024–25 14 clubs: 2025–26 12 clubs: 2026–
Following the merger of the Maltese Second and Third Divisions the league is made up of two groups. Over the course of the season, each team plays twice against the others in their group. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the table by: Total points gained
In the need of a tie-breaker, a play-off game is played. At the end of the season, the top team from each group is directly promoted to the Challenge League; an additional place is reserved for the winner of the promotion play-offs. The play-offs take place between the clubs that finished second to fourth in each group with the winning team gaining promotion to the Challenge League.
In March 2021, Luqa St. Andrew's became the first champions of the leagueLuqa St. Andrew's Amateur League Champions and were promoted from group stage along with Melita and Mġarr United. They were joined in the 2021-22 Challenge League by the winners of the promotion play-offs Rabat Ajax who had beaten Kirkop United in the final. With five teams being relegated from the Challenge League in 2021, and four being promoted from the Amateur League, the 2021-22 season saw an overall increase of clubs to 23.
The league was rebranded into National League I as from the 2026–27 season.
Venues Ta' Qali San Pawl il-Baħar Centenary Stadium Sirens Stadium Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 800 Pembroke Mosta Luxol Stadium Charles Abela Stadium Capacity: 700 Capacity: 600
List of Champions by season
Year Champions Runner-up Top-Scorer Goals 2020–21 Luqa St.Andrew's Melita Nicholas Schembri (Attard) 15 2021–22 Żurrieq Attard Nicholas Schembri (Attard) 21 2022–23 Senglea Athletic Msida St.Joseph Christian Saint Ebisindor (Mġarr) 20 2023–24 Mġarr United Mtarfa Kurt Borg (Mtarfa) 33 2024–25 Birzebbuga St.Peter's Vittoriosa Stars Joshua Olejabi (Marsaskala) 20 2025–26 Attard Victoria Hotspurs Precious Uchechukwu Nwankwo (Attard) 32 2026–27
References
External links League at the Malta Football Association official website