MALTESE PRIESTS TO MAKE HISTORY AT EUROPEAN FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN POLAND

A Maltese team of priests is set to make history as it heads to Poland to represent the country for the first time in the European Futsal Championship of Catholic Priests.

The 18th edition of the tournament will be hosted by reigning champions Poland in the city of Lublin. Launched in Austria in 2003, the championship is held annually, apart from a pause during the Covid-19 pandemic, and will feature 18 national teams from across Europe.

Malta’s participation marks a significant milestone. The team is captained by Fr Bernard Micallef, who attended last year’s championship in Hungary after efforts to field a Maltese team fell through. Fr Bernard recalled the strong sense of fraternity among priests from different countries, an element the tournament places particular emphasis on through shared cultural and religious activities alongside the sporting competition.

The Maltese squad includes Fr Matthew Pulis, Fr Daniel Cardona, Fr Marco Portelli, Fr Josef Mifsud and Fr Sergio Fenech, as well as three international priests studying at the University of Malta: Fr Peter Tembo from Zambia and Nigerian priests Fr Kenneth Tochukwu Anona and Fr Fidelis Sopuruchi Iroka.

The team has been training regularly at the Armed Forces of Malta gym, with additional sessions held at Savio College in Dingli. Malta will face teams from Portugal, Croatia and Slovenia in the opening stage of the tournament.

#MaltaDaily