Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535753
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 MAY 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Football ground proposed in Marsa The Marsa Football Club, which competed in the Chal- lenge League this season, has submitted an application for the construction of a ful- ly-fledged UEFA-standard 11-a-side stadium. The stadium with a roofed seating area will be built on land at the Marsa sports grounds. The project also in- cludes an adjacent sports hostel built over six levels. The hostel is set to include sports-related shops and catering areas. The hostel and football ground are being proposed on 14,839sq.m of land within the Marsa Sports Club, which had been transferred to Marsa FC by parliament in previous years. As proposed, the football pitch will be constructed above a street-level car park for 200 cars, along with facilities for the football club and its nurs- ery. The Superintendence of Cul- tural Heritage has requested an archaeological evaluation of the site before issuing its clearance for the development. However, it has noted that photomontag- es indicate the views and vistas of the Harbour Fortifications are unlikely to be negatively impacted. Marsa FC was granted 7,430sq.m of land at the Marsa Sports Club in 2018 to be de- veloped into a football pitch. A further 3,800sq.m of land were transferred to the club in 2021, followed by another 3,010sq.m in 2024. The club had revealed its grand plans to members two years ago. A law regulating the commer- cialisation of sports facilities grants sports organisations the right to conduct commercial activities within their facili- ties. Agreements between clubs and third parties to operate commercial facilities require approval by parliament and Sports Malta, a government agency. Marsa FC was founded in 1920 and its most notable achieve- ment was in the 1970-71 season when the club played in Malta's highest division and came sec- ond. This placing secured Mar- sa FC a slot in the UEFA Cup, where they were drawn to play against Italian giants Juventus. Marsa lost 6-0 in Malta and 5-0 in Turin. The club has on several other occasions played in the highest division of Maltese football. A football ground and hostel are being proposed on land within the Marsa Sports Club, which was transferred to Marsa FC in recent years Photomontage of proposed stadium at the Marsa Sports Club