Malta coach Emilio De Leo has named a provisional squad of 37 players for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers.
Malta will begin their journey in Group G with a home match against Finland on Friday, 21st March, 2025, at the Ta’ Qali National Stadium. The match, scheduled to kick off at 20:45, will mark the start of De Leo’s tenure as Head Coach of the National Teams following his appointment in January. Three days later, the team will head to Warsaw for a tough away fixture against Poland at the Stadion Narodowy, on Monday, 24th March, also at 20:45.
In his initial squad, De Leo has included established players along with a host of up-and-coming youngsters and newcomers, including players from the Challenge League, the second tier of Maltese football.
De Leo has selected two players who were recently granted Maltese citizenship by descent, namely Wigan Athletic’s James Lee Carragher and Ilyas Chouaref, who plays for Swiss top-flight club FC Sion, taking the number of foreign-based players in the Malta squad to nine.
Ħamrun Spartans FC duo Steve Borg and Luke Montebello, both of whom missed the last international window in November due to injury, are making a return to the national squad. They are joined by their younger team-mates Mattias Ellul and Sven Xerri, along with Juan Carlos Corbalan (Marsaxlokk), Jake Grech (Floriana FC), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians FC), Adam Magri Overend (Sliema Wanderers FC) and Brandon Diego Paiber (Valletta FC). Defender Zach Muscat, now playing in Turkey, has also been named in De Leo’s provisional selection.
De Leo’s squad also features five Under-21 players. Besides Ellul and Xerri, there are three other new faces: Andrew (Andy) Borg (Gżira United FC), Jake Azzopardi (Valletta FC), and Isaiah Chukunyere (Hibernians FC). Two other new additions to the squad are Mattia Veselji, currently playing in Serbia, and Aleandro Garzia (Floriana FC).
On the downside, De Leo has to make do without defender Gabriel Mentz, suspended, while Jurgen Degabriele, Kemar Reid, Jodie Jones, and Dylan Scicluna are sidelined with injuries.
Fans can secure their tickets online from here or at the stadium’s ticket booths on matchday.
The 37-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers
Rashed Al Tumi (FC Sheriff Tiraspol – MDA), Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Matthew Grech (Birkirkara FC).
Defenders
Myles Beerman (Sliema Wanderers FC), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers FC), Steve Borg (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Ryan Camenzuli (Ħamrun Spartans FC), James Lee Carragher (Wigan Athletic FC – ENG), Juan Carlos Corbalan (Marsaxlokk FC), Mattias Ellul (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Aleandro Garzia (Floriana FC), Adam Magri Overend (Sliema Wanderers FC), Neil Micallef (Birkirkara FC), Zach Muscat (Sanliurfaspor – TUR), Enrico Pepe (Gżira United FC), Sven Xerri (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana FC), Kurt Shaw (Hibernians FC).
Midfielders
Jake Azzopardi (Valletta FC), Andrew Borg (Gżira United FC), Jake Grech (Floriana FC), Matthew Guillaumier (FKS Stal Mielec Spolka Akcyjna – POL), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians FC), Brandon Diego Paiber (Valletta FC), Steven Pisani (Sliema Wanderers FC), Alexander Satariano (Birkirkara FC), Teddy Teuma (Stade de Reims FC – FRA), Dunstan Vella (Floriana FC).
Forwards
Joseph E. Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Paul Mbong (Birkirkara FC), Luke Montebello (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Kyrian Nwoko (Sliema Wanderers FC), Basil Tenywa Tuma (Reading U21 – ENG), Mattia Veselji (FK Smederevo 1924 – SRB), Trent Anthony Buhagiar (Kapaz P.F.K. – AZE), Chouaref Ilyas (FC Sion – SUI), Isaiah Chukunyere (Hibernians FC).
Source: MFA
Photo: MFA
