Gibraltar football’s levelling gap and a new chapter for Hound Dogs

The Gibraltan football system is fascinating and incredible; however, with sides competing in a dominant division, sides lower down the table are left questioning what to do next. As one of Europe’s youngest permanent managers, Hound Dogs’ head coach Ryan McCarthy has spoken out as the season draws close.

FC Hound Dogs were established in 2012 by a group of football fans who were also local residents of Gibraltar. The first players who joined the club in the summer of 2012 had existing connections to the owners. When SJ Corinthians folded, players needed new clubs, and Hound Dogs was born.

The Gibraltar Football League is made up of twelve sides heading into the 2025/26 campaign and is the only professional/semi-professional league in the country; however, below that is the Intermediate League, which has had different names (U23 League, Reserve League).

Pointing towards the huge level in player abilities in the league, McCarthy hinted that the footballing culture in the nation was a contributing factor:

“Gibraltar, they don’t have that luxury of having a Sunday League… there’s always that amateur vibe, where you can just turn up and play. Unfortunately, Gibraltar, we don’t.”

Accompanying the league is the Rock Cup, similar to the English FA Cup. Only the top three sides in the GFL have a chance at qualification rounds in European competitions.

A double round-robin in the regular season means everyone faces each other at least twice in the league. Then the top six sides are placed into the “GFL Championship Group,” where each side plays each other once more. The team with the most points at the end of the Championship Group phase will be crowned the Gibraltar Football League champion and earn qualification for UEFA Champions League qualifiers. The second- and third-placed teams typically qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League.

For sides ranked 7-12, they will now conclude their season after the original 22 games have been played.

After being Dalibor Savic’s assistant at Europa Point in a record season, McCarthy now hopes for success as the first-ever manager of Hound Dogs in their new venture. He commented on the upcoming debut campaign:

“The phone never stops; there are a lot of players I’ve worked with, such as at Europa Point, or players I’ve played with. It wasn’t a case of selling dreams—I said it would be very difficult. However, once we get to a certain point, this is a club you can call home. I hope we’ll be a surprise package where opponents think it’s going to be a walkover game!”

As a new club, new signings have to be made, and the journey is only just starting for the Gibraltan side.

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