Malta will have a prominent place on football shirts in Italy this season after VisitMalta was unveiled as the main shirt sponsor of Ars et Labor Ferrara, the club carrying the SPAL identity.
The VisitMalta branding was revealed across the front of the team’s new home shirt during its official kit presentation in Ferrara on Thursday, 20 August.
It adds another distinctly Maltese element to the Ferrara club, which has been under the ownership of Maltese businessman Joseph Portelli since July.
From Malta to Ferrara
Portelli officially took control of Ars et Labor Ferrara through JP Football Holdings Ltd. on 9 July 2026, following an agreement signed in Rome with previous owners Juan Martin Molinari and Andrès Adolfo Marengo.
Marcel Bonnici was appointed CEO as part of the change in ownership.
The new ownership has publicly committed itself to rebuilding the club and returning it towards the level associated with its history and tradition.
SPAL has a long history in Italian football and most recently competed in Serie A between 2017 and 2019.
Financial difficulties later resulted in the old club being excluded from the 2025/26 Serie C season and entering liquidation, with football in Ferrara subsequently restarting at Eccellenza level under Ars et Labor Ferrara.
The 2026/27 campaign will therefore be part of a wider rebuilding project, with the Ferrara side looking to work its way back through the Italian football pyramid.
VisitMalta continues its push through sport
The SPAL agreement also extends the Malta Tourism Authority’s strategy of using international sport to promote the Maltese Islands abroad.
VisitMalta already works with a range of sporting organisations and teams. Its current partnerships include Team Polti VisitMalta in professional cycling and a long-running relationship with Manchester United, while a sponsorship agreement with English club Chesterfield FC was announced earlier in 2026.
The Malta Tourism Authority also supports Maltese football clubs participating in European competitions through a financial incentive scheme.
With Maltese ownership now running the club and VisitMalta displayed prominently across its shirts, Ferrara’s latest football chapter will carry a visible Malta connection throughout the upcoming season.
