2020 will see the return of the Women's Muratti after a four year absence, as part of a three-day inter island football festival being planned.
The female inter-insular will be played over the same weekend as the senior men's match, a veterans game, disability and walking football matches at Jersey's Springfield Stadium next May.
The games are all to be played over the weekend of the 15-17 May, 2020, booked to come after the 75th anniversary of the Channel Islands Liberation.
The Over-50s charity match between Jersey and Guernsey’s Veterans sides, in aid of Cheshire Home, will come first on the Friday night. Guernsey fans will be hoping to see the return of 'Le God' after the Vale Rec and Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier played in the fixture last season. It attracted a bumper crowd to Matt's old stomping ground of the Corbet Field where Guernsey won the match.
On Saturday 16 May, the men’s match will be played at Springfield Stadium, with a 15:00 kick off, with current Muratti Vase holders Jersey hosting the winner of the semi-final between Guernsey and Alderney.
Pictured: Guernsey's winning Muratti team of 2017.
The Jersey FA has said it will be a “all-ticket” game - with no tickets available to purchase on the day. Fans will also be prevented from viewing the game through fencing, following feedback on the 2018 event. The JFA said that will lead to a restricted capacity, but Condor Ferries has put on an extra sailing from Guernsey to Jersey for the day of the match to enable Sarnian fans to travel over to watch the game.
The women’s Muratti will be played on the Sunday afternoon. It's been four years since the trophy was last contested and is being reintroduced now, following the successful launch of the Condor Ferries Channel Islands Women’s League this season. Two sides from Guernsey have been competing against four women’s teams from Jersey throughout the year.
There'll also be disability and walking football matches between the two islands on what is being dubbed 'Super Sunday'.
Guernsey FA Director James Falla said: “The 2020 Muratti is looking to be an action-packed weekend and we are greatly looking forward to it. Obviously at the senior men’s level we must face what will undoubtedly be a tough match against Alderney in the semi-final, and so we take nothing for granted.
“We are all delighted to see the return of the Women’s Muratti in 2020. The introduction of the CI Women’s League, with the invaluable support of our partners at Condor Ferries, has been a major development for the women’s game in Guernsey, and the growth in player numbers and interest we have seen so far is exciting.
“The return of the Muratti is an important step forward for the growth of the women’s game in the island, as we still maintain our focus on the development of our squad for the 2021 NatWest Island Games in Guernsey and beyond.”
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