Philippines Football League






















































Philippines Football League
Philippines Football League Logo.png
Organising body Liga Futbol Inc.
Founded 2017; 1 year ago (2017)
Country Philippines
Confederation AFC
Number of teams 6
Level on pyramid 1
Domestic cup(s) Copa Paulino Alcantara
International cup(s)
AFC Champions League
AFC Cup[note 1]
Current champions
Ceres–Negros (2nd title)
(2018)
Most championships
Ceres–Negros (2 titles)

Website philippinesfootballleague.com

2018 Philippines Football League

The Philippines Football League (PFL) is a Filipino professional association football league, sanctioned by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). It is the Philippines' highest level of men's club football, supplanting the United Football League, which was previously the de facto top-tier league in the country.[1]


The PFL's inaugural season was launched on April 21, 2017.[2]




Contents






  • 1 History


    • 1.1 Origins


    • 1.2 Foundations


      • 1.2.1 Nielsen study




    • 1.3 Launch


      • 1.3.1 Launch proper






  • 2 Competition format


    • 2.1 Qualification for Asian competitions




  • 3 Clubs


    • 3.1 List




  • 4 Champions


  • 5 Organization


    • 5.1 Club identity


    • 5.2 Players and salaries


    • 5.3 Youth development


    • 5.4 Stadiums




  • 6 Media coverage


  • 7 Notes


  • 8 References





History



Origins


Following the success of the Philippines national team in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, Philippine football experienced a renaissance. With no existing national football league, the Metro Manila-based United Football League (UFL) became the de facto top-tier league in the Philippines. Under the guidance of the Football Alliance (FA) in partnership with United Football Clubs Association (UFCA), the UFL flourished. However, the PFF expressed the need to have a nationwide, community-based football league that is at par with the standards set by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).[3] The UFL, which is under the National Capital Region Football Association, cannot be considered as a national league.



Foundations




13 localities deemed viable home venues by the Nielsen Company for prospect clubs in the PFL.[4]


  • Luzon: Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Marikina, Bocaue (Bulacan), Laguna, Pampanga


  • Visayas: Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo


  • Mindanao: Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga City




With the goal of establishing a truly nationwide professional football league in the Philippines, the PFF launched the PFF National League Task Force on December 2, 2013.[5] The task force was led by Filipino economist Bernie Villegas, and is composed of UFL President Randy Roxas, AFC Deputy General Secretary and Competition Director Windsor John, Filipino FIFA official Domeka Garamendi, AFC Kick-off Program Director Yogesh Desai, UFL Commissioner Bonnie Ladrido, ABS-CBN's Dino Laurena, former PFF' General Secretary Cyril Dofitas and Gelix Mercader.[6] The task force was tasked to do market research studies to determine the possible cities or regions where participating football clubs can be based, as well as assisting clubs in the Philippines to conform to AFC club licensing regulations. The PFF initially set a goal to launch the national league in two to three years from the inception of the task force.[3]


Singaporean sports marketing agency, Red Card Group led by former Singaporean international, R. Sasikumar, assisted the PFF in the initial stages of planning the league.[7]



Nielsen study


Nielsen was tasked to conduct a study in 2015, where they identified 13 key localities throughout the Philippines as viable home venues for participating clubs in the PFL. Among the factors considered were existing infrastructures, accessibility, capacity of fans to pay, the existence of sponsors, and fan appreciation of the sport. Each applicant club was asked to nominate a home stadium based in the locality of their choosing.[4]


The name "Philippines Football League" was the most-preferred name for the league in a Nielsen survey which covered interviews of 5,000 people nationwide. Other choices included P-League, Maharlika League, Liga Pilipina, and Philippine Premier League.[8]



Launch





Shangri-La at the Fort at Bonifacio Global City where the official launch of the PFL was hosted.


The Philippines Football League was officially announced on September 7, 2016 and will replace the UFL as the Philippines' top tier football league.[9] At least six teams from all over the Philippines was planned to be part of the PFL, with clubs from the UFL invited to join. Interested clubs were presented with the PFF's Club Licensing Regulations, and were given until December 2016 to formally apply to join the PFL.[4] The league competition was slated to begin in either the late March or early April in 2017.[1]


By April 1, 2017, the PFF confirmed the participation of 8 clubs - Ceres–Negros, Davao Aguilas, Global Cebu, Ilocos United, JPV Marikina, Kaya FC–Makati, Loyola Meralco Sparks, and Stallion Laguna.[10]



Launch proper


The official launching of the PFL happened on April 21, 2017 at the Shangri-La at the Fort in Taguig while the first match of the inaugural season is set to be played on May 6, 2017.[11] The program was started by economist and PFL Task Force Chairman, Bernardo Villegas and ended by PFF President Mariano Araneta.[12]



Competition format


The PFL will follow a home-and-away, double round-robin format. The top four teams will advance to the play-off round dubbed as the "Finals Series" to determine the champions of the league.[13] A knockout cup competition will also be contested between the PFL's participating clubs, with matches interspersed within the league schedule.[9]


For its inaugural season, the PFL will only have one division. The PFF expressed its hopes to form a second division as the league expands, with a system of promotion and relegation with the PFL to be put in place.[9] The UFL has expressed its openness to serve as the second tier competition or youth league to the PFL.[14]



Qualification for Asian competitions


  • 1st: Qualifying play-offs of the AFC Champions League or Group stage of the AFC Cup.

History of Asian qualification

  • AFC Cup
    • 2017: Second placers qualifies for the group stage of the AFC Cup with the third placers eligible to play in the continental cup in the event the second placers were unable to play. Starting the 2018 season, winners of the Copa Paulino Alcantara qualifies instead of the second placers in the PFL.



Clubs



List











Champions












Total titles won by region












Region
Number of titles
Clubs

Negros Occidental

2

Ceres–Negros (2)

By City / Town












City / Town
Championships
Clubs

Bacolod

2

Ceres–Negros (2)


Organization



The Philippines Football League, along with the PFF Cup, is managed by Liga Futbol Inc..[24]
Singapore-based Red Card Global, a sports marketing agency has exclusive commercial rights to the PFL.[25] Each club will have to pay a franchise fee to participate in the league.[9] Reportedly in April 2017, the franchise fee is pegged at $500,000 by the PFF which can be paid by member clubs within a period of five years.[26]


The league is professional in nature and not a developmental league. The clubs will have a share of the league's broadcast revenues and sponsorship and each club will be assisted by the league in securing their own sponsors.[1]


The professional status of the league is recognized by the Games and Amusements Board, the regulatory body for professional sports in the Philippines.[27]


In October 2018, the Philippines Football Federation was awarded the League Development Award by the Asian Football Confederation for its organization of the PFL.[28]



Club identity


All PFL clubs are required under the PFF Club Licensing Regulations to have a name that includes the name of their home locality. The clubs are also required to have nicknames, crests, and colors based on the unique characteristics of their home locality.[29]



Players and salaries


Participating clubs are allowed to have a minimum 25 and a maximum of 30 players. Reportedly in September 2016, only four foreigners are to be allowed per club, with at least one foreigner coming from an AFC country.[8] On January 17, 2017, it was reported that this foreign player limit rule is yet to be finalized by the PFF.[30]


The PFL will also have a salary cap and a salary floor.[9]



Youth development


All participating clubs in the PFL are required to commit to the organization and development of at least two youth teams, an under-18 and an under-15. The clubs' youth teams are required to participate in competitions organized by the Philippine Football Federation.[29]



Stadiums


The clubs of the PFL are required to have a certified home stadium either through ownership of the stadium or having an active contract with the owners of the stadium. Likewise, all clubs are required to have access to or own a training field and facility.[29]



Media coverage




Press conference held prior to a league match between Ceres-Negros and Kaya-Iloilo. May 11, 2018.


The Philippine Football Federation had an agreement with the People's Television Network to broadcast matches of the league which was signed in April 2017[2] though the network coverage of the league didn't last at least half a season.[31] Matches since then were live streamed through the MyCujoo online platform.[32]


On February 22, 2018, the league had signed an agreement with Sportradar which would enable it livestream matches through Sportradar’s Over-The-Top (OTT) platform.[24][33] In April 2018, Liga Futbol Inc. approved a budget to secure a broadcasting partner for the 2018 season.[34]



Notes





  1. ^ Starting the 2018 season, qualification is through winning the Copa Paulino Alcantara and not performance in the league itself.


  2. ^ The home stadium of the club is located in Bantay, Ilocos Sur, a nearby town. For administrative and marketing purposes, the home city of Ilocos United is designated as "Vigan".




References





  1. ^ abc "Ceres FC ready to apply for PFL license". The Visayan Daily Star. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ ab PTV Network at PFF, pumirma ng kasunduan [PTV Network and the PFF signed an agreement] (Television production). People's Television Network. 12 April 2017.


  3. ^ ab Bautista, Roehl Niño (2 December 2013). "Philippine Football Federation set to launch national league". GMA News. Retrieved 8 September 2016.


  4. ^ abc Del Rosario, Paolo (6 September 2016). "PFF bares plans for national football league". CNN Philippines. Retrieved 8 September 2016.


  5. ^ "PFF to Establish National League in 2016". Philippine Football Federation. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2016.


  6. ^ Guerrero, Bob (2 December 2013). "PFF announces national football league to launch in 2015 or 2016". Passionate Fan. Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 9 September 2016.


  7. ^ Tan, Noah (11 November 2016). "Sasikumar a key player in new Philippines pro football league". Today. Mediacorp Press Ltd. Retrieved 11 November 2016.


  8. ^ ab Ventura, Sid (6 September 2016). "With PFF Backing, National Pro Football League Set to Debut in 2017". Sports 5. TV5 Network Inc. Retrieved 8 September 2016.


  9. ^ abcde Guerrero (6 September 2016). "PFF one step closer to launching nationwide pro football league". Rappler. Retrieved 8 September 2016.


  10. ^ Doble, Henry (1 April 2017). "8 teams for PFL inaugural kickoff". Sun Star Bacolod. Retrieved 1 April 2017.


  11. ^ Jacinto, Christian (22 April 2017). "Finally, a national league for the Philippines after launch of PFL". Sport Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 22 April 2017.


  12. ^ "Inaugural PFL season draws 8 teams from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao". Fox Sports Philippines. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.


  13. ^ "PFF to brief interested clubs on Philippines Football League". Philippine Football Federation. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.


  14. ^ Valderrama, Aeron Paul (6 September 2016). "Formation of Philippines Football League officially underway". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 7 September 2016.


  15. ^ abc Biantan, Jack (24 November 2016). "UFL teams disperse to provinces to form PH Football League". Sun Star Cagayan de Oro. Retrieved 24 November 2016.


  16. ^ Galunan, Jerome (28 November 2016). "Ceres FC denies having 2 teams in the PFL". Watchmen Daily Journal. Retrieved 1 December 2016.


  17. ^ Biantan, Jack. "Biantan: Davao Aguilas vow to build a strong team". SunStar. Retrieved 19 February 2017.


  18. ^ "Limpag: Global FC to become Global Queen City FC". Sun.Star. 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2017-01-01.


  19. ^ ab Co, Adrian Stewart. "Stallion, JP Voltes jump ship to PH Football League". Panay News. Retrieved 29 December 2016.


  20. ^ Tupas, Cedelf (15 January 2017). "Football's next kick". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 15 January 2017.


  21. ^ Ferer, Cindy (6 February 2018). "Kaya Futbol Club chooses Iloilo as its new home court". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 6 February 2018.


  22. ^ "PFF to Issue Club Licenses to 8 Clubs for the Inaugural Season of the Philippines Football League". football.com.ph. Retrieved 5 April 2017.


  23. ^ Sevilla, Jeremiah M. (19 January 2018). "Ilocos United FC withdraws from PFL 2018 season". The Manila Times. Retrieved 22 February 2018.


  24. ^ ab "Philippines Football League (PFL) partners Sportradar for multiyear data, OTT and integrity services". CalvinAyre.com. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.


  25. ^ Osman, Shamir (13 April 2017). "Phillippines [sic] reiterates opposition to ASL after launch of new pro league". The New Paper. Retrieved 22 April 2017.


  26. ^ Biantan, Jack (10 April 2017). "Biantan: Aguilas FC lucky to have Jefferson Cheng". Sun Star Cagayan de Oro. Retrieved 12 April 2017.


  27. ^ "GAB grants PFL professional license". Fox Sports Philippines. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.


  28. ^ "Philippine FF receives League Development Award". Asian Football Confederation. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.


  29. ^ abc "Club Licensing Regulations for Philippines Football League" (PDF). Pasig: Philippine Football Federation. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2016.


  30. ^ Biantan, Jack (17 January 2017). "Stallions FC Laguna prepares for Philippine Football League". Sun Star. Retrieved 17 January 2017.


  31. ^ Limpag, Mike (28 December 2017). "Here's hoping to a better PFL in 2018". Sun Star Cebu. Retrieved 2 January 2018.


  32. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (1 January 2018). "Smart Sports' Best of 2017: Banner year for Filipinas, Ceres-Negros". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 2 January 2018.


  33. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (22 February 2018). "PFL, Sportradar sign deal for online broadcast platform". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 22 February 2018.


  34. ^ Doble, Henry (4 April 2018). "PFL soon to air live coverage". Sun Star Bacolod. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
















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