Joseph Portelli’s SPAL unveils VisitMalta as main shirt sponsor

VisitMalta has become the main shirt sponsor of Italian football club SPAL, following the Ferrara-based side’s recent acquisition by Maltese businessman Joseph Portelli.

The club unveiled its new home kit featuring the VisitMalta logo across the front of the shirt, adding another Maltese link to SPAL following the change in ownership.

Mr Portelli acquired Ars et Labor Ferrara, formerly known as SPAL, through JP Football Holdings Ltd. The agreement with previous owners Juan Martin Molinari and Andres Adolfo Marengo was signed in Rome, with the acquisition taking effect immediately.

The latest sponsorship means Malta’s national tourism brand will feature on the club’s shirts as SPAL begins its first chapter under the new ownership.

Founded in 1907, SPAL has spent several periods in Serie A and achieved its best top-flight finish in the 1959/60 season, when it placed fifth.

The club also reached the Coppa Italia final during the early 1960s, while more recently it competed in Serie A until 2020. It reached the Coppa Italia quarter-finals as a Serie B side during the 2020/21 season before eventually being relegated to Serie C at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, financial difficulties have repeatedly affected the Ferrara club. It went bankrupt in 2005 and again in 2012, before encountering further financial problems last year.

SPAL subsequently did not participate in the 2025/26 Serie C season amid difficulties attracting new investment and went into liquidation, with Ars et Labor Ferrara subsequently emerging.

The SPAL acquisition followed two previous attempts by Mr Portelli to enter Italian football.

In January, his €1.3 million bid to acquire Serie D side Siena was rejected by the club’s owners. A subsequent attempt to acquire Nocerina was withdrawn following due diligence.

Mr Portelli is already closely involved in Maltese football through Ħamrun Spartans, which has won several domestic league titles in recent years and became the first Maltese club to reach the main phase of a UEFA club competition after qualifying for the UEFA Conference League.

Before his involvement with Ħamrun, Mr Portelli served as president of Nadur Youngsters in Gozo.