Malta National Paintball Team (Malta Paintball Team)
The Malta national paintball team represents Malta in international national-team paintball competition and is organised through Malta Paintball. It made its United Paintball Federation (UPBF) World Championship debut in Dreux, France, in September 2026. [1][2]
Competing as Malta Men, the team finished 20th among 20 entries in the men's competition. Its event roster listed eight players and two staff. [3][4]
History
[edit]Development of the national programme
[edit]Malta Paintball's national-team programme developed alongside Maltese participation in overseas league competition and training. The organisation's published history records participation in CPPS Division 4 during 2025 and Division 5 during 2026. [2]
In August 2026, the UPBF identified Malta, Colombia, Denmark and Kuwait as four nations making their first World Championship appearances that year. [1]
Malta Paintball's account describes the inaugural squad as bringing together players based in Malta and Gozo with members of the Maltese diaspora living overseas. [5]
2026 World Championship
[edit]The UPBF World Championship was held in Dreux on 2–3 September 2026. Malta entered the men's competition, with all four of its recorded preliminary matches played on 2 September. [3][6]
Malta faced Switzerland, Great Britain, Belgium and South Africa in preliminary group D. It lost all four matches, scoring one point against Switzerland and one against South Africa. [3]
| Date | Opponent | Malta's score | Opponent's score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 September 2026 | Switzerland | 1 | 4 | Loss |
| 2 September 2026 | Great Britain | 0 | 4 | Loss |
| 2 September 2026 | Belgium | 0 | 4 | Loss |
| 2 September 2026 | South Africa | 1 | 4 | Loss |
Malta Paintball's subsequent report states that Malta scored the opening point against Switzerland. The official team record places Malta 20th among 20 men's teams. [4][5]
2026 World Championship squad
[edit]The following players and staff appear on the PBLeagues event roster for Malta Men. All ten were marked as checked in. These are event-specific registrations, rather than a permanent national-team roster. [3]
Players
[edit]| Player | Registered role |
|---|---|
| Jordan Alden | Player |
| Karl Camilleri | Player |
| Chris Cioffi | Player |
| Jesmond Cioffi | Player |
| Michael Earley | Player |
| Jay Guarino | Player |
| Kyle Magri | Player |
| Tristan Setzer | Player |
Staff
[edit]| Name | Registered role |
|---|---|
| Gavin Scott | Staff |
| Austin Setzer | Staff |
The event roster identifies the staff category without specifying individual coaching or administrative duties. [3]
Support
[edit]Malta Paintball acknowledged VisitMalta's support for the inaugural Nations Cup campaign and Anthrax Paintball's production of the national uniforms. Its account also recognised the financial and practical contributions of players, volunteers, friends and families. [5]
Subsequent development plans
[edit]Following the 2026 championship, Malta Paintball identified regular domestic training and a larger player base as priorities. Its October report described work towards a temporary training ground with removable infrastructure. [5]
The organisation also expressed an ambition to enter men's and women's teams in 2027. These were development plans dependent on player availability, funding and training opportunities, rather than confirmed tournament entries. [5]
Tournament results
[edit]| Year | Tournament | Division | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UPBF World Championship, Dreux | Men's Xball | 20th of 20. [4] |
See also
[edit]- Malta Paintball
- Paintball in Malta
- United Paintball Federation
- European Paintball Federation
- Central Premier Paintball Series
References
[edit]- Four New Nations Make Their UPBF World Championship Debut in 2026. United Paintball Federation, 8 August 2026.
- National Team & Nations Cup. Malta Paintball, official programme and competition history.
- Malta Men at the 2026 European Championships. PBLeagues, UPBF men's event roster and official match results. Roster checked on 27 October 2026.
- Malta: official team profile and tournament record. PBLeagues. Records Malta Men's 20th-place finish among 20 entries.
- Malta's First Nations Cup: Building from Dreux. Malta Paintball, 9 October 2026.
- World Championship 2026: The Story of Dreux. United Paintball Federation, 11 September 2026.