Maltese table football celebrated a historic weekend in Greece as Bormla Subbuteo Club dominated the individual event and secured an international podium finish in the team category at the prestigious Athens Major.

Supported by local funding and sporting bodies, the tournament showcased the incredible depth of Malta’s subbuteo talent on the pan-European stage.

Saturday: All-Bormla Final Decided by Shootout Drama

The Individual Veterans Category featured an elite field of 45 players hailing from Malta, Italy, Austria, and Greece. After a grueling knockout stage, it was two Bormla Subbuteo Club teammates who defied the odds to battle it out in an all-Maltese grand final: Jason Pisani and Charles Aquilina.

The final proved to be an absolute nail-biter. With the scores locked at 1-1 after regulation and extra time, the match was pushed into a high-stakes shootout. Pisani held his nerve under immense pressure to edge past Aquilina 4-3 on shots, claiming the coveted Athens Major title.

The Road to the Individual Final:

• Jason Pisani: Marched to the final with two hard-fought 2-1 victories—first overcoming fellow Maltese player John Zammit (Stembert) in the quarter-finals, followed by a gritty semi-final win against Greek player Prombonas (Rooligans).
• Charles Aquilina: Earned his final spot by defeating Italy’s Pasquale Torano (Ferrara) 1-0 in the quarters, before dispatching Alberto di Maggio (Bologna Tigers) 4-3 on shots following a tight 1-1 semi-final draw.

Sunday: Bormla SC Secure Team Podium Finish

The momentum carried into Sunday’s Team Category, which featured 29 top-tier clubs from Italy, Belgium, and Greece. Represented by the formidable quartet of Charles Aquilina, Jason Pisani, Bessim Golger, and Josef Camilleri, Bormla SC put on a masterful display of team tactics.

Bormla comfortably won Group A by sweeping aside Greek opposition, registering dominant victories against Rooligans B (4-0), Crimson B (4-0), and Noctuas (2-1). They carried their fine form into the knockout stages, edging past Greece’s Atlas (2-1) in the quarter-finals, and digging deep to defeat another Greek powerhouse, the Falcons, 2-1 after extra time in a dramatic semi-final.

In the grand final, Bormla faced Valletta SC—the only other Maltese team in the entire competition. Valletta SC ultimately took the crown with a clinical 3-0 victory, leaving Bormla SC to proudly claim a well-deserved silver medal on the international podium.

A Shared Success

This highly successful international venture was made possible through crucial financial backing. The tournament was funded by SportMalta under the International Assistance scheme, with vital support from the Bormla Local Council and the Cospicua Dynamos.

The club also extends its gratitude to corporate partners who helped make the trip a reality: VisitMalta, Mykonos by Yiammas, Prima Holidays, Euroclub Hotel, EJCS, Fairbet, and Mamzinobet.