FA Trophy (Malta)

FA Trophy (Malta) (Malta Football Association Trophy) - Malta's main national knockout cup organised by the Malta Football Association. Regulations: the competition is played as a single-elimination knockout, with Premier League and Challenge League clubs entitled to take part and additional clubs admitted in line with the Association's rules based on outcomes in the National Amateur Cup and Gozo competitions, with the annual entry list confirmed each season. If more than 32 clubs enter, a Preliminary Round is used to reduce the field to 32 and it is played between participating clubs excluding Premier League clubs, after which the First Round is drawn from Preliminary Round qualifiers, Challenge League teams receiving byes, and all Premier League clubs, with draw restrictions designed to keep the holders and the top six Premier League clubs from the previous season apart in that round, then winners progress to the Second Round to determine the eight quarter-finalists, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final, with each tie decided in a single match. If level after 90 minutes, extra time of two 15-minute periods is played and, if still level, the winner is decided by penalties. The winner qualifies for UEFA Conference League qualifying, with the entry round determined by the relevant UEFA access list for the season.