2022–23 in Gozitan football

The 2022–23 season was the annual competitive association football season in Gozo organised by the Gozo Football Association for 2022–23.

Overview
During the 2022-23 football season, the Gozo national football team participated in the 2023 Island Games.

As for domestic club football, 14 Gozitan clubs participated in the 2022–23 Gozitan football season, with 8 playing in First Division, the top division in Gozo, and the remaining six in the Second Division.

The Gozo Football Association also held a number of cup competitions, namely:
 * the G.F.A. Cup, a knock-out cup which was contested by all Gozitan clubs;
 * the Super Cup, contested by the holders of the First Division and the G.F.A. Cup;
 * the First Division Knock-Out, a knock-out cup contested by clubs playing in the First Division;
 * the Second Division Knock-Out, a knock-out cup contested by clubs playing in the Second Division; and
 * the Second Division Challenge Cup, a cup contested by clubs playing in the Second Division.

The draw for all the competitions organised by the Gozo Football Association for the 2022–23 season was held on 22 July 2022. All matches organised by the Gozo Football Association were held at either the Gozo Stadium or the Kerċem Ajax Stadium. No matches were held at the Sannat Ground, given that it was still being refurbished.

Gozitan clubs also participated in the knock-out cups organised by the Malta Football Association. Indeed, the clubs of the First Division participated in the 2022–23 Maltese FA Trophy whereas the clubs of the Second Division participated in the National Amateur Cup.

Squad
The following players were called up for the 2023 Island Games by coach Mark Buttigieg.

Caps and goals correct as of 20 June 2023

First Division
The 2022–23 season was the 73rd edition of the Gozitan First Division. It was played between 9 September 2022 and 16 April 2023 and was contested by eight teams.

In terms of format, the First Division was split into two phases. In the first part of the season, the eight teams of the First Division faced each other played in a double round-robin format. Thereafter, the First Division was split into two divisions, with the top four at the end of the first part of the season qualifying for the Top Four and the bottom four qualifying for the Playout.

Each club in both divisions played each other twice, with the winner of the Top Four being crowned winners of the 2022-23 First Division, the club ending bottom of the Playout being relegated to the 2023-24 Second Division, and the club ending second from bottom getting the chance to defend the top flight status by qualifying for the Promotion/Relegation Play-off.

Ultimately, Nadur Youngsters won the league for a record 14th time, Sannat Lions got relegated, and Victoria Hotspurs ended up penultimate and vied for their top division status in the Promotion/Relegation Play-off, which they lost against Xagħra United.

Promotion/Relegation Play-off
The Promotion/Relegation Play-off was contested by Victoria Hotspurs, who finished second from bottom in the First Division, and Xagħra United, who ended runners-up in the Second Division. Xagħra United won the match 2–1, thus winning the right to participate in the upcoming First Division and condemning Victoria Hotspurs to Second Division football.

Second Division
The 2022–23 season was the 61st edition of the Gozitan Second Division. It was played between 16 October 2022 and 19 March 2023 and was contested by six teams.

Each team played each other 3 times, thus playing 15 matches in total. S.K. Victoria Wanderers won the Second Division for the sixth time whereas Xagħra United ended runners-up and qualified for the 2022-23 Promotion/Relegation Play-off.

G.F.A. Cup
The GFA Cup was contested by all the fourteen clubs of First Division and the Second Division.

Out of the fourteen participants, the first two which were drawn, namely Nadur Youngsters and S.K. Victoria Wanderers, got a bye and qualified directly to the Quarter Finals. Conversely, the remaining twelve teams were drawn to contest the Preliminary Round, with the winners of the six ties joining Nadur Youngsters and S.K. Victoria Wanderers in the Quarter Finals.

Super Cup
The 2022 Gozitan Super Cup was the 32nd Maltese Super Cup, an annual football match played between the title holders of the Gozitan First Division and the G.F.A. Cup.

It was contested on 21 September 2022 by Nadur Youngsters, who won both the 2021-22 First Division and the 2021-22 G.F.A. Cup, and Ghajnsielem, who were runners-up in both competitions.

First Division Knock-Out Cup
The cup was contested by the clubs participating in the 2022-23 First Division. Given that there were eight contestants, all clubs were drawn to the participate in the Quarter-Finals.

Second Division Knock-Out Cup
The clubs who ended up in the last four positions of 2021-22 Second Division qualified for the Preliminary Round. The winners of the two ties qualified for the semi-finals, where they joined the seeded teams, namely S.K. Victoria Wanderers as the club relegated from the 2021-22 First Division and Munxar Falcons as the Second Division runners-up for the same season, which got a bye and qualified directly to the Semi-Finals.

Second Division Challenge Cup
The Second Division Challenge Cup consisted of two phases. In the first phase, the Qualifying Round, which was played between 3 September 2022 and 5 October 2022, the clubs of the Second Division faced each other in a single round-robin tournament. The clubs which placed in the first two places qualified for the final.

Final
By virtue of finishing first and second place respectively in the Qualifying Round, S.K. Victoria Wanderers and Xagħra United won the right to play the Second Division Challenge Cup Final.