Marsascala will finally get its own football pitch after the government allocated disused land within the family park for the €1.5 million investment.

The football pitch was originally planned as part of the Sadeen university campus in Żonqor, but revised plans that reduced the campus footprint had to do away with it.

The bill will be footed by the government and the Malta Football Association.

Marsascala FC was set up six years ago and has no training facilities within the locality. The youth nursery had to make do with undersized pitches at the primary school and the family park or rent out facilities in other localities.

The pitch, which will come with a spectator stand, dressing rooms and ancillary facilities, is expected to take 18 months to build once planning permits are out.

Sports Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius said the locality, with a population of some 16,000, was the fastest growing in the south and the pitch would cater for the needs of young people.