Maltese basketball is celebrating a very special golden double after both the women’s and men’s national teams won their respective FIBA finals.
The women’s national basketball team were crowned champions of the FIBA Women’s European Championship for Small Countries 2026 after defeating Albania 72-55 in the final. The match was played at the Palestra e Sporteve “Karagac” in Peja, Kosovo, with Malta putting together a strong performance to secure the title.
Malta started brightly in the final, leading Albania 29-13 after the first quarter. Although Albania kept fighting, Malta stayed in control and closed out the game to complete an unbeaten campaign. According to FIBA, Malta finished the competition with a 4-0 record, making the victory even sweeter.
The success also marked Malta’s fourth title in this competition, adding to previous wins in 2008, 2010 and 2016.
Soon after, Malta’s men’s national team followed the same path by winning gold at the FIBA Championship for Small States.
Coached by Paul Ferrante, the Maltese side defeated Andorra 90-76 in the final at the Tercentenary Sports Hall in Gibraltar. The match was far from easy, with Andorra testing Malta throughout, but the Maltese team pushed ahead in the closing stages to finish the tournament unbeaten.
Jordan Tucker led Malta’s scoring in the men’s final with 25 points, while Michael Sjoberg added 18 points. Malta had to recover from difficult moments during the game, including a half-time deficit, before taking control in the final quarter.
It was a memorable week for Maltese sport, with both national basketball teams showing character, focus and pride on the international stage.
For a small nation, moments like these mean a lot. They are not only about medals, but also about the work of players, coaches, staff, clubs, families and supporters who continue to help the sport grow in Malta.
