Malta’s Premier League Eyes VAR Within 2 Years, Says Joseph Muscat

Feb 26 2025

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has become an integral part of modern football, assisting referees in making crucial decisions. The technology was first tested in 2016 and made its professional debut during the 2017–18 season in select leagues and competitions.

VAR was officially introduced to European club football during the UEFA Champions League knockout stages in February 2019, following its successful use at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

It was later expanded to the UEFA Europa League in the 2019–20 season and implemented across major domestic leagues, including the Premier League (2019–20) and La Liga (2018–19).

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Despite its goal of reducing human error, VAR has sparked ongoing debates among players, coaches, and fans regarding its impact on the flow of the game and the controversial interpretation of decisions. Nevertheless, it remains a key tool in officiating at the highest levels of European football.

During yesterday’s episode of Awla on One TV, former Prime Minister of Malta and Chairman of the Malta Premier League, Dr. Joseph Muscat, participated in a panel discussion on the first season of the Premier League since transitioning from the Malta Football Association (MFA) to the Malta Premier League (MPL), with the MFA still involved in the joint venture.

Dr. Muscat stated that within the next two years, Malta will need to introduce some form of VAR system.

He emphasised that the first year is a transitional period, allowing management to refine the new format while experimenting with different aspects. VAR has already been used during Malta’s 2021 European qualifiers, with all resources provided by UEFA.

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Cardinal Mario Grech Reportedly Among Top 5 Papacy Picks

Feb 26 2025

Malta’s Cardinal Mario Grech is among the top contenders to succeed Pope Francis, according to Vatican experts speaking to Times of Malta.

With Pope Francis’s recent health concerns, speculation is growing about the next leader of the Catholic Church.

Vatican correspondents Hendro Munsterman and Christopher White believe Grech stands a strong chance due to his approachable nature and key role as general secretary of the synod of bishops.

He has been instrumental in Pope Francis’s efforts to make the Church more inclusive and participatory. His leadership in the synod on synodality gives him a unique advantage, as he understands the ongoing reform process.

However, Grech is not a unanimous choice. Some question whether his personality is dynamic enough, while others believe his relatively young age—68—could lead to a lengthy papacy that some cardinals may want to avoid.

Additionally, conservative factions within the Church oppose the synodal reforms he champions, which could hinder his chances.

The papal conclave remains unpredictable, with no clear frontrunner. While Grech represents continuity with Pope Francis’s vision, other candidates, including Italians Pietro Parolin and Matteo Zuppi, as well as American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, could also emerge as strong contenders.

Ultimately, the next pope’s selection will likely reflect whether the Church wishes to continue Francis’s reforms or take a more cautious path.

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TikToker Goes Viral Speaking About Maltese Language

Feb 26 2025

TikTok creator @human.1011 took to social media to create a video about the Maltese language, diving into the origins of the language along with a brief history of the island.

‘What if you took Arabic and infused it with the Romance languages? That language actually exists – it’s called Maltese’, explains the creator.

He goes on to give a brief history of the island from Arabic conquest, and even tries his hand at reading and translating some Maltese.

He explains how the academic words are of Romance origin whereas the roots are Arabic.

The TikTok creator produces informative videos relating to various topics ranging from science to languages, and has broadcasted the Maltese language to over 246K followers on the app.

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Maltese Entrepreneur Links Up Shark Tank Star

Feb 26 2025

In a story posted to Instagram, Daymond John, an entrepreneur known for being an investor on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank, gave a shout out to one of his friends who hails from Malta.

Wesley Ellul linked the Shark with Christopher Kai, another entrepreneur and CEO of The Mayhem Group.

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Daymond wrote how ‘everything happens for a reason’ as he met with his Maltese friend who was having a meeting about one of his ‘same passions’ which entails ‘turning CEOs into publicly recognised and respected Thought Leaders a.k.a a shark.’

Ellul re-shared the story to his Instagram reels, writing ‘Daymond is right. Everything happens for a reason.’

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