Most people who want to find someone to do things with in Malta already know what they want to do: a 5-a-side game on a weeknight, a play in Valletta, a long coastal walk, a dinner that isn’t for one. What is missing is the other person. The island is small, but if you are new, studying, working remotely or your usual group has drifted apart, filling one empty seat can feel oddly hard.
The gap is rarely about Malta itself. It is usually about how you ask. Vague requests such as “anyone want to hang out?” get vague replies, or none at all. A specific activity, a specific place and a specific time get real answers. This guide covers the communities people in Malta actually use, what to write when you ask, and how to turn your idea into a plan on MeetNow.
Short answer: start from one activity, not from “making friends”. Use an established community such as English Café Malta, a Meetup group, InterNations or a hobby group on Facebook, and post a short message with the activity, place, time and who pays. On MeetNow you post the same thing as a plan at a public place, then choose who joins.
Where people find someone to do things with in Malta
Before any app, it helps to know the communities that already exist. These are the options people in Malta use most often, based on what the groups themselves and local guides describe.
| Option | Who it suits | What it is good for |
|---|---|---|
| English Café Malta | Newcomers, expats, English-language students, digital nomads and travellers | Regular in-person meetups such as language and board games nights, Sunday hikes and coastal excursions |
| Meetup groups (for example Malta Social and Malta Mates) | Expats and locals who like a set schedule | Social mixers, trivia nights and outdoor activities |
| InterNations Malta chapter | International professionals living abroad | Structured networking events and activity-based interest groups |
| Facebook groups (Expats in Malta, Expats Living in Malta, Malta Hikers, board game and diving groups) | Almost everyone, especially for quick requests | Impromptu meetups and finding a partner for one hobby |
English Café Malta has been running community meetups in Malta since 2014, according to its listings on Meetup, and it is particularly active around Sliema. The Malta Handbook points newcomers to groups like Malta Social and Malta Mates, and notes that Facebook is still heavily used in Malta for organising impromptu meetups and hobby groups, including hiking, board game and scuba diving communities. Watersport meetups around Sliema, St Julian’s and Gozo are also often organised this way.
Where these groups work well, and where they don’t
Group events are excellent for meeting a lot of people at once and getting a feel for who is around. They are less good when you want one specific thing: a fourth player on Thursday, one person to share a theatre evening, two people to join a Sunday walk. In big Facebook groups, a post can scroll away within hours, and on a big event night you may talk to ten people and never set up a second meeting.
That is why most people who succeed combine the two: they use groups to meet people, and specific plans to actually do things together. If you mostly want low-key company with no fixed activity, our guide on how to find people to hang out with in Malta covers that side.
MeetNow in one line: a host posts a plan at a real public place with a date, time, number of seats and who pays. People nearby ask to join with a short note, and the host picks who comes. It is free, built around plans rather than profiles, and launching in Malta first. See how MeetNow works.
Pick one activity: football, theatre and more
“I want to meet people” is hard to answer. “I need two more players for 5-a-side” is easy. Choosing the activity first does three things: it filters for people who genuinely want the same thing, it gives everyone something to talk about, and it makes it obvious when and where to meet.
Find people to play 5-a-side football in Malta
If you want to find people to play 5-a-side football in Malta, numbers matter more than anything else. A game needs ten players, so you are either building a whole group or filling the last few spots in someone else’s. Both work, but be clear which one you are doing.
- Join an existing game: ask in expat and hobby groups whether any regular game is short of players. Mention your level honestly and which days suit you.
- Start your own: book the pitch first, then ask. People commit far more readily to “Wednesday, pitch booked, need 4” than to “anyone up for football sometime?”
- Agree on cost up front: pitch fees are usually split between players. Say so in your first message, so nobody is surprised.
- Set the tone: “friendly, mixed level, no slide tackles” attracts a different crowd from “competitive”. Both are fine; just say which.
If you would rather watch than play, see our guide on how to find someone to watch football with in Malta.
People to go to the theatre with in Malta
Finding people to go to the theatre with in Malta works best when you name the production and the date before you ask. Theatre is a great first meeting because the activity carries the evening: you have something to talk about before, at the interval and afterwards, and nobody has to fill two hours of conversation from scratch.
- Pick the show first: check the official listing for the production and date, then post. “Anyone fancy the play on Saturday the 14th?” works; “anyone like theatre?” rarely does.
- Everyone buys their own ticket: this is the simplest arrangement. MeetNow does not sell tickets, so a theatre plan is usually set to “pay your own”.
- Meet before, not inside: suggest a coffee or a drink at a café near the theatre beforehand, so you are not trying to find strangers in a busy foyer.
- Keep it small: two to four people is easy to coordinate and still feels sociable.
Other activities that work well
The same logic applies to hikes, dinners, board games, diving, tennis and beach days. For walking routes and group sizes, see how to find a hiking buddy in Malta. Hobbies with a safety element, like diving, are best arranged through established clubs or dive centres, with a plan simply helping you find a buddy to go with.
What to say when you ask
A good request has three parts: the activity, the place and time, and what is expected (cost, level, group size). Keep it short. Long introductions read like a dating profile; short, concrete messages read like a plan.
“5-a-side on Wednesday evening, pitch already booked in the central area. Friendly, mixed level. Need 3 more players. We split the pitch fee equally. Comment or message if you’re in.”
“Going to see the play on Saturday the 14th. I’ll get my own ticket, happy to meet for a coffee nearby an hour before. Looking for 1–2 people who enjoy theatre.”
“Sunday morning coastal walk, about two hours, easy pace. Meeting at a café at the start point, coffee afterwards. Pay your own.”
When you are the one asking to join, the same rule applies in reverse. One or two sentences are enough: who you are in a line, why this plan suits you, and anything useful (“I play in goal”, “I’ve seen this director’s work before”). Skip the life story.
How to post or join a plan on MeetNow
MeetNow turns the messages above into a plan with clear details, so you are not chasing replies across group chats. It is coming soon to the App Store and Google Play. Here is how it works.
Posting a plan as a host
- Choose the activity and a public place: a café, restaurant, pitch, promenade or theatre foyer, never a private home.
- Set the date, time and seats: how many people you want to join, not counting yourself.
- Say who pays: host pays, split, pay your own, or free. Our guide on who pays on a MeetNow plan explains each option.
- Write a short description: level, pace, what to bring, anything people should know.
- Decide who can join: you can limit a plan by gender or age range if that makes you more comfortable. See how to choose who joins.
- Review requests: people ask to join with a short note, and you accept or decline each one.
- Coordinate in the group chat: accepted guests get a group chat for last details.
- Confirm you met: afterwards, both sides confirm “we met”, which builds each person’s track record.
Joining someone else’s plan
Browse plans for the activity you want, read the details, and send a short note explaining why you would like to join. If the host accepts, you are added to the group chat. If not, there will be other plans. MeetNow is built around plans rather than profiles, and it is not a dating app; if you are curious about the difference, read is MeetNow a dating app?
Example plan descriptions you can copy
Adapt these to your own activity. The point is that a stranger can read them and know exactly what they are signing up for.
| Plan | Description | Seats | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-a-side football | Friendly 5-a-side, pitch booked. Mixed level, no slide tackles. Bring dark and light shirts. Arrive 10 minutes early. | 3 | Split |
| Theatre evening | Seeing the play on the date listed. Buy your own ticket, then we meet for a coffee at a café near the theatre beforehand and chat at the interval. | 2 | Pay your own |
| Dinner with new people | Relaxed dinner at a busy restaurant, good for anyone new to Malta. Mains and a drink, bill split evenly. | 4 | Split |
| Sunday coastal walk | Easy walk along the coast, about two hours, coffee at the end. Comfortable shoes and water. | 3 | Free |
Safety when meeting someone new
Before and during any meetup with people you don’t know yet:
- Meet in a public place. Cafés, restaurants, pitches and busy promenades, not private homes or isolated spots.
- Tell a friend. Share where you are going, who you are meeting and roughly when you expect to be done.
- Arrange your own way home. Don’t depend on someone you have just met for a lift.
- Leave if you feel uncomfortable. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. On MeetNow, you can also block a user.
- Keep first meetings short and simple. A game, a coffee or a show is easier to step away from than a full day trip.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is launching in Malta first and is not in the App Store or Google Play yet: join the MeetNow waitlist and we’ll email you when it launches near you.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to find someone to do things with in Malta?
Start from one specific activity rather than a general wish to meet people. Use an established community such as English Café Malta, a Meetup group, InterNations or a hobby group on Facebook, and post a short message with the activity, place, time and who pays. On MeetNow you can post the same thing as a plan and choose who joins.
How do I find people to play 5-a-side football in Malta?
Either ask in expat and hobby groups whether an existing game is short of players, or book a pitch first and then post that you need a set number of players. Say your level, the day and time, and that the pitch fee is split, so people can commit quickly.
Is it weird to ask strangers to go to the theatre with me?
Not at all. Theatre is one of the easiest first meetings because the show gives you something to talk about. Name the production and date, ask everyone to buy their own ticket, and suggest meeting at a café nearby beforehand.
Is MeetNow a dating app?
No. MeetNow is built around plans, not profiles. A host posts an activity at a public place, people ask to join with a short note, and the host picks who comes. It is for doing things with people, such as football, theatre, dinner or a walk.
Can I use MeetNow yet?
Not yet. MeetNow is free and coming soon to the App Store and Google Play, launching in Malta first. You can join the waitlist with your first name and email, and you will get an email when it launches near you.
