Challenge Cup (Malta) 2025/26

The competition in question is the BOV Challenge Cup, a knockout tournament for the second tier of Maltese football. It was inaugurated in the 2024–25 season as a joint initiative between the Malta Football Association and the Bank of Valletta (BOV). Unlike the primary national cup, which includes sides from all levels, this competition is restricted exclusively to clubs in the Maltese Challenge League. For the 2025–26 season, the field has expanded to include 23 teams, comprising 16 participants from the Challenge League and seven from the Gozo Football League First Division.

The tournament follows a standard knockout structure, progressing through preliminary rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final. Pietà Hotspurs claimed the inaugural title in 2024–25. In the following season, Birżebbuġa St. Peter's secured the victory. The participating teams for the current campaign include Birzebbuga, Marsa, Gudja United, Tarxien Rainbows, Zebbug Rangers, and Xewkija Tigers, among others drawn from the Gozo league.

This competition serves as a distinct pathway for teams operating outside the top flight, providing them with a structured opportunity to compete in a national cup format. While the historic Maltese FA Trophy remains the premier knockout event open to all tiers, the BOV Challenge Cup offers a focused arena for the second division. Its formation marks a recent development in the domestic cup landscape, separating the elite tier from the rest of the pyramid in terms of trophy contention.