Malta's World Cup Group B calendar finalised

The World Cup 2014 Group B fixtures involving Malta have been finalised, with the first commitment for the national team being a home match against Armenia on 7 September next year.

Besides Armenia the six-team group comprises giants Italy,  the Czech Republic, Denmark and Bulgaria.

"This array of opponents presents our team with a very difficult itinerary, no matter how the fixtures, mostly clustered within a period of four days, were arrived at," the MFA said.

On the 11th September, Malta is due to face Italy away, followed by another match on 12 October against the Czech Republic on foreign soil.

The next ‘double’ engagements will be on 22 and 26 March 2013, the first being against Bulgaria away, after which Malta hosts Italy.

On 7 June Malta faces Armenia away followed by two home matches against Denmark and Bulgaria on 6 and 10 September 2013.

The programme will come to an end on 11 and 15 October  2013 with a home encounter against the Czech Republic and then against Denmark on Danish soil.

The Group B calendar is as follows:

7 September 2012 - Bulgaria-Italy; MALTA-Armenia

8 September 2012 - Denmark–Czech Republic

11 September 2012 -  Italy–MALTA; Bulgaria-Armenia

12 October 2012 - Armenia-Italy;  Czech Republic-MALTA; Bulgaria-Denmark;

16 October 2012 - Italy-Denmark; Czech Republic-Bulgaria;

22 March 2013 - Bulgaria-MALTA; Czech Republic-Denmark;

26 March 2013 - MALTA-Italy; Armenia-Czech Republic; Denmark-Bulgaria;

7 June 2013 - Armenia-MALTA;

8 June 2013 - Czech Republic-Italy;

11 June 2013 - Denmark-Armenia;

6 September 2013 - Italy-Bulgaria; Czech Republic-Armenia; MALTA-Denmark;

10 September 2013 - Italy-Czech Republic; Armenia-Denmark; MALTA-Bulgaria;

11 October - 2013 Denmark-Italy; MALTA-Czech Republic; Armenia-Bulgaria;

15 October 2013 - Italy-Armenia; Bulgaria-Czech Republic; Denmark-MALTA