Rugby Clubs Malta 2026: Clubs, Touch Rugby and Beginners

Short answer: there are five rugby clubs Malta’s union officially recognises: Overseas RUFC, Kavallieri RFC, Stompers RFC, Falcons RFC and UM Wolves RFC, all affiliated to the Malta Rugby Football Union (MRFU), which lists an enrol link for each. Beginners are genuinely welcome: Stompers in Birkirkara runs men’s, women’s and youth rugby, trains on Tuesdays and Thursdays, offers a beginners’ course and says your first sessions are free. Overseas, Malta’s oldest club (founded in 1946), is known for welcoming expats. For a non-contact, social option, a weekly touch rugby game has been played in Sliema, with a dedicated Facebook group. You need boots and a mouthguard; clubs often lend kit for the first sessions.

Rugby clubs are some of the best “instant friend groups” in Malta. Training twice a week, a match at the weekend and a social side that is taken almost as seriously as the rugby: if you have just moved here and want people to do things with, few clubs welcome newcomers faster.

Last checked: October 2026.

Rugby clubs Malta: directory

Most club rugby is played on the pitches at Marsa, Malta’s main rugby hub, with other pitches listed in Paola, Pietà and at the University of Malta.

The clubs in more detail

Stompers RFC (Birkirkara)

Stompers is one of Malta’s established clubs and one of the five sides in the MRFU’s 2026/27 men’s Premiership. It runs men’s, women’s and youth rugby, and is explicit about welcoming beginners, expats and experienced players: no experience needed, first sessions free, and a beginners’ rugby programme. Training is on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you have never played, start here.

Overseas RUFC

Overseas was the first civilian rugby club in Malta, founded on 11 November 1946. Its reputation is as the expats’ club: members describe it as a ready-made group of friends from all over the world, with a strong social side, while Maltese players have long played there too. It welcomes first-time and experienced players.

Kavallieri, Falcons and UM Wolves

The other three MRFU clubs are Kavallieri RFC and Falcons RFC, both based around Marsa, and UM Wolves RFC, the University of Malta’s club. The MRFU’s clubs page gives contact emails and an enrol link for each; message them to ask about training nights and whether they have space for newcomers.

Malta’s national team

Rugby is a small sport in Malta, but it is growing. Malta’s national fifteen has moved up to the Rugby Europe Men’s Trophy for 2026/27, and watching a home international is an easy way into the rugby community. The MRFU has also sent a representative sevens squad to the Dubai 7s for the first time, in November 2025.

Touch rugby: the social, non-contact option

Touch rugby is rugby without tackles: a “touch” replaces the tackle, so it is fast, safe and very social. Malta has a weekly social touch rugby game in Sliema with its own Facebook group, open to all ages, skill levels and genders. The Malta Rugby League has also promoted touch rugby in Sliema as a social, non-contact game for men and women. Check the group for the current night and time before you go.

Touch is the best first step if you are unsure about contact rugby, coming back from injury, or just want a weekly run-around with a friendly crowd and a drink after.

Your first session

Kit and costs

Kit price ranges are from the Play in Malta sports directory. Last checked October 2026. Who pays: club fees are personal; for socials and travel, rugby clubs often split costs or run a team kitty.

Which club suits you?

• Never played, want structure: Stompers. A beginners’ course, free first sessions and men’s, women’s and youth sections under one roof in Birkirkara.
• Just moved to Malta, want a social life: Overseas. Malta’s oldest club has a long history of welcoming expats, and its members talk about the social side as much as the rugby.
• Studying at the University of Malta: UM Wolves, the university’s own club, is the obvious first message.
• Living near Marsa or the south: Kavallieri or Falcons, both based around the Marsa pitches.
• Not ready for contact: touch rugby in Sliema, then decide.

There is no harm in trying two clubs before you commit. Most coaches would rather you found the right club than left the sport.

The 2026/27 season: dates to put in your diary

The domestic season is under way. The MRFU’s site shows the men’s MRC CISK Lager Premiership 2026/27, contested by Overseas, Falcons, Kavallieri, UM Wolves and Stompers, with Overseas top of the table after the opening round in October. The women’s league is running too: Stompers Women play UM Wolves Women at the Marsa Sports Complex on Saturday 24 October 2026. Watching a club match at Marsa is a relaxed way to meet club members before you sign up; check with the MRFU or the clubs whether entry is charged.

The national team’s Rugby Europe Men’s Trophy campaign starts in the autumn, with fixtures listed by the MRFU as:

Last checked October 2026; check the MRFU’s international fixtures page for kick-off times and tickets. A home international is a good group plan in its own right: the crowd is friendly, and many club players and coaches are there, so it is the easiest place to ask about joining a team.

How to choose between contact and touch

If you are not sure whether full rugby is for you, think about three things. First, your body: contact rugby involves tackling and being tackled, and while coaches build beginners up slowly, it is a physical sport. Second, your time: a club expects two evenings of training and, once you are picked, weekend matches. Third, what you want from it: if it is mainly a weekly run-around and a social group, touch rugby gives you most of that with a fraction of the commitment. Many people start with touch, then move into a club once they have caught the bug; others stay happily in touch for years. Either way, you will be in a group that trains, plays and socialises together, which is the point.

Questions to ask a club before you join

• Which evenings do you train, where, and at what time?
• Do you have a beginners’ group, or do new players train with the full squad?
• Can I borrow boots or a training top for the first sessions?
• What are the annual subs, and is there a student or newcomer rate?
• Is there a women’s or mixed section, or social touch sessions?
• How do you get to away games and socials, and how are costs shared?

Clubs are used to these questions, and the way they answer tells you a lot about whether the club is a good fit. A quick, friendly reply with a training time and a name to ask for is a very good sign. If a club does not reply within a week, try another: with five clubs on a small island, there is always another door to knock on.

What a rugby season looks like

Club rugby in Malta follows a cooler-season calendar: training ramps up as the summer heat fades, with league fixtures through autumn, winter and spring, and a quieter, social summer. That makes October one of the best months to start: teams are building squads, beginners’ sessions are running, and you have the whole season ahead to learn. Expect two training evenings a week, a game most weekends once you are selected, and team socials that are hard to escape.

A message that works when you contact a club: “Hi, I’m new to Malta and have never played (or: played at school). Could I come to a training session this week? Do you have spare boots I could borrow?”

Women’s rugby in Malta

Women’s rugby has a growing presence in Malta: the MRFU publishes domestic women’s fixtures, and Stompers runs a women’s section that welcomes beginners. If you are a woman thinking about trying rugby, contacting Stompers or asking the MRFU which clubs run women’s training is the fastest route in. Touch rugby, which is mixed, is another easy start.

Rugby as a way to meet people in Malta

Rugby clubs combine three things that make friendships happen: regular contact (training twice a week), shared effort (and shared bruises), and a strong social calendar. That is why so many expats say their club was their first real group of friends in Malta. If a contact sport is not for you, try five-a-side football in Malta or the climbing gym in Qormi. For the full list of sports and hobby groups, see clubs to join in Malta and places to meet people in Malta.

Rugby clubs Malta FAQ

How many rugby clubs are there in Malta?

The Malta Rugby Football Union has five affiliated member clubs: Overseas RUFC, Kavallieri RFC, Stompers RFC, Falcons RFC and UM Wolves RFC.

Can beginners join a rugby club in Malta?

Yes. Stompers RFC in Birkirkara runs a beginners’ rugby programme, says no experience is needed and offers free first sessions. Other clubs also welcome newcomers; contact them via the MRFU’s clubs page.

Is there touch rugby in Malta?

Yes. A weekly social touch rugby game has been played in Sliema, open to all ages, levels and genders, organised through the Malta Touch Rugby Facebook group. Check the group for the current schedule.

Is there women’s rugby in Malta?

Yes. The MRFU runs domestic women’s fixtures, and Stompers RFC has a women’s section that welcomes beginners.

Find your team

A rugby club gives you a group, a schedule and a reason to show up every week.