The Malta Sports Journalists Association (MSJA), the Malta Football Association (MFA) and the Malta Premier League have strengthened their collaboration following a positive meeting focused on improving communication, supporting sports journalism and further developing Maltese football.

The meeting was attended by MFA Vice-President Dr Matthew Paris and Malta Premier League CEO Mr Alan Abela, while the MSJA was represented by President Dr Antvin Monseigneur and General Secretary Ms Joanna Camilleri.

A major outcome of the meeting was the conclusion of a new media access agreement aimed at simplifying accreditation procedures for sports journalists covering domestic football competitions.

Under the new agreement, all MSJA members will be granted access to Malta Premier League matches and all competitions organised by the Malta Football Association upon presentation of their valid official MSJA membership card for the 2026/27 season.

The new system means that MSJA members will no longer be required to pay an entrance fee or an annual freelance media fee to attend domestic competitions covered by the agreement.

As part of the arrangement, the MSJA will provide the Malta Football Association with an updated list of its registered members at the start of each season. The MFA will subsequently issue a digital media accreditation card exclusively to registered MSJA members, providing a more streamlined and transparent accreditation process.

The agreement also clarifies that freelance journalists who are not members of the Malta Sports Journalists Association will remain subject to the existing annual accreditation fee.

The new arrangements apply exclusively to domestic competitions and do not cover international matches. The existing accreditation procedures for international fixtures will therefore remain in place.

Both the Malta Football Association and the Malta Premier League will retain the right to suspend or withdraw accreditation from any media representative found to be in breach of stadium regulations, professional standards or applicable codes of conduct. This ensures that media access continues to be exercised responsibly and professionally.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for the three organisations to discuss potential areas of future collaboration.

Among the initiatives explored were educational programmes, media workshops for clubs and players, seminars focusing on sports communication, as well as other projects aimed at raising professional standards in both sports journalism and Maltese football.

The Malta Sports Journalists Association expressed its appreciation to the Malta Football Association and the Malta Premier League for their openness, cooperation and continued support for local sports media and sports journalists.

The three organisations reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintaining constructive communication and working together on initiatives that can further strengthen the relationship between the sporting community and the media.