Women’s league champions Hibernians will start their title defence in the 2016-17 campaign with a match against Gozo following draws made recently at the Malta FA offices.

Last season, Hibernians clinched the league for the third time in a row with a few weeks to spare and then rounded off a successful year after beating Raiders Luxol 6-0 in the knock-out competition final to make it a double.

Hibernians will be under the supervision of new coach Jesmond Zammit this season.

The Paolites started their pre-season training earlier this month in view of the Champions League qualifying round matches against FC Twente (The Netherlands), Konak Belediyespor (Turkey) and Ferencvaros (Hungary).

Hibs play their first match against Konak on August 23. The tournament will be staged in The Netherlands.

Shawn Meilak’s Birkirkara, runners-up to Hibernians in the 2015-16 championship, play their first BOV League match against Mġarr United with the other fixture from the top flight pitting together Kirkop United and Raiders Luxol.

Birkirkara were busy in the summer transfer market following the signings of five new players – goalkeeper Rosemarie Baldacchino and outfielders Cassie Camilleri, Sonia Schembri, Leanne Micallef and England’s Kelly Lee.

Five teams will contest the Second Division League – Ħamrun Spartans, Mosta, Tarxien Rainbows, Kirkop United ‘B’ and Swieqi United.

First matches: Ħamrun vs Mosta; and Tarxien vs Kirkop ‘B’.

Eleven clubs will field their teams in the U-17 championship.

The matchday one pairings were: Hibernians vs Fgura; Gozo vs Tarxien; Raiders vs Mosta; Kirkop vs Mġarr; Ħamrun vs Birkirkara.

The other team in U-17 league are Żebbuġ Rangers.

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