2021 Philippines Football League

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Philippines Football League
Season2021
DatesSeptember 25 – TBA
← 2020
→

The 2021 Philippines Football League, also known as The Philippines Football League brought to you by Qatar Airways due to the league's title sponsorship, will be the fifth season of Philippines Football League (PFL), professional football league of the Philippines.

It was determined that the 2021 season will be held under a bubble format, like in the previous one due to prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation.[1] The league's cup tournament, Copa Paulino Alcantara, will not be held for a second time after it was cancelled the previous season,[2] although there were plans to hold it in April, prior to the league start.[3]

Cebu F.C. was given a provisional club license, which would allow the club to debut in the 2021 season, while potential new entries of Laos and from Cagayan de Oro are still on hold.[4][5][6] The league was scheduled to kick off on August 21, 2021, but was postponed due to the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.[7][8] It is now tentatively set to start on September 25, 2021.[9][10]

Stadium[]

Carmona, Cavite
PFF National Training Center
Capacity: 1,200
Location of the PFF National Training Center.

Like previously, all games of 2021 season are planned to be held at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, under a close-circuit format due to prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. Biñan Football Stadium in Biñan, Laguna is being considered as a potential second venue.[11]

Teams[]

Personnel and kits[]

Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Sponsors
Azkals Development Team Republic of Ireland Scott Cooper Philippines Marvin Angeles Philippines LGR Alphaland Corporation
Stream Mobile
Dynamic Herb Cebu Philippines Oliver Colina Philippines Evren Tasci Philippines RAD Apparel Dynamic Herb Sports
The Green Table
Tigertek Sports
Pocari Sweat
Kaya–Iloilo TBD Philippines Jovin Bedic Philippines LGR LBC
Fitness First
Maharlika Manila Philippines Arvin Soliman Spain Joaco Cañas Philippines Gameville Sportswear Philam Life
Reparil Ice-Spray
Arepa Nootropics
Mendiola 1991 Philippines Dan Padernal Philippines Ashley Flores Indonesia FAT Penson and Company
Focus Athletics
Stallion Laguna Philippines Ernest Nierras Philippines Ruben Doctora Philippines Cutz Apparel Giligan's Restaurant
Pi Tracer
Airlock389
TANIS
South Coast Industrial Door Inc.
United City England Jason Withe[12] Philippines Stephan Schröck Philippines Chronos Athletics Manila Regenerative Center
Midas Magnesium
Gatorade
BCDA
Allianz[13]

Coaching changes[]

Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointment
United City England Trevor Morgan End of Contract December 31, 2020 Pre-season England Jason Withe March 31, 2021
Kaya–Iloilo Japan Yu Hoshide Demoted to assistant manager December 31, 2020 Pre-season England Graham Harvey June 10, 2021
Kaya–Iloilo England Graham Harvey End of Contract July 17, 2021 Pre-season TBD TBD
Maharlika Manila Philippines Roxy Dorlas End of Contract December 31, 2020 Pre-season Philippines Arvin Soliman[14] July 30, 2021

Foreign players[]

A maximum of five foreigners are allowed per club, with four players of any nationality and a fifth coming from an AFC member nation. This is a change from the previous four seasons which followed the AFC's "3+1" rule. This resulted from an earlier press conference dubbed We Are PFL 2021, where managers of the clubs expressed a desire to increase the foreign quota from four to five.[citation needed]

Club Players Former Players
Azkals Development Team TBA
Dynamic Herb Cebu Yemen Gamal Al Mesbahi Ivory Coast Marius Kore Guinea Mohamed Soumah Nigeria Ekundayo Andrew Japan Ren Okuda
Kaya–Iloilo Trinidad and Tobago Carlyle Mitchell[15] Japan Daizo Horikoshi[15] Japan Masanari Omura[15] Japan Ryo Fujii Ghana Patrick Asare Ghana Emmanuel Osei
Maharlika Manila Spain Joaco Cañas Cameroon Henri Bandeken TBA
Mendiola 1991 TBA Ivory Coast Dini Ouattara
Cameroon Souleyman Ndepe
Ghana Stephen Appiah
Stallion Laguna TBA
United City Spain Bienvenido Marañón1 United States Jonny Campbell South Korea Jung Da-hwon New Zealand Jai Ingham Japan Takashi Odawara
Senegal Robert Lopez Mendy

Notes

1.^ Now a naturalized citizen of the Philippines. Sporting nationality change is still subject to be confirmed by FIFA.

References[]

  1. ^ Leyba, Olmin (January 2, 2021). "Expanded cast expected in next PFL tourney". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Terrado, Reuben (March 27, 2021). "Copa Paulino Alcantara canceled as PFL looks to open new season in July". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  3. ^ "PFL eyes 2021 opening in April with Copa Paulino Alcantara". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  4. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (July 30, 2021). "PFF gives Cebu provisionary license; Laos given deadline to fulfill requirements". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  5. ^ Suyu, Ian (February 11, 2021). "2 teams to join PFL". Daily Tribune. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Suyu, Ian (March 14, 2021). "PFL welcomes new team". Daily Tribune. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  7. ^ Pedralvez, Manolo (July 10, 2021). "Football: Gov't clearance needed for foreign players tapped by PFL clubs". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  8. ^ Carmen, Lorenzo (August 5, 2021). "PFF reschedules PFL opener due to ECQ". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Suyu, Ian (August 11, 2021). "PFL eyes September opening". Daily Tribune. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  10. ^ "PFL Season 2021 kickoff postponed to September". Philippines Football League. August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  11. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (July 16, 2021). "PFL pencils August 21 for closed-circuit season". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  12. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (March 31, 2021). "United City taps English coach Jason Withe". . Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  13. ^ "United Clark, Allianz team up for PFL, ACL season". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "Arvin Soliman named new Maharlika Manila FC head coach". Philippines Football League. July 30, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Kaya FC-Iloilo's 2021 Squad is Taking Shape – Kaya FC–Iloilo". Kaya F.C. March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
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