EIGHT football clubs from across the country are set to take the green turfs when the Philippines Football League (PFL) kicks off late this April.
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has confirmed the teams participating are Loyola-Meralco Taguig, Japan-Philippine Voltes Marikina, Ilocos United FC, Stallion Laguna, Kaya FC Makati, Davao Aguilas FC, Global Cebu FC and Ceres Negros FC of Bacolod.
Meralco Taguig has its home turf at McKinley Hill Stadium in Taguig with a 2,000-seating capacity while the JP Voltes will be based at the Marikina Sports Complex. Ilocos United FC will play their home games at the 5,000- seat Quirino Stadium.
Stallion will have their own turf at the Biñan Football Stadium with 2,500 seats; Kaya FC at the Makati Sports Complex; and Davao Aguilas, at the 3,000-seater Tagum Davao del Norte Sports Complex.
Global is expected to settle down at the Cebu City Sports Complex with 5,000-seating capacity and Ceres Negros at Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City.
Last year, PFF presented the overview and guidelines of the Philippines' new league supposedly set to unfold last month.
PFF General-Secretary lawyer Edwin Gastanes said that this league, which will be the country’s top tier league and will serve as qualifying for all international competitions will run in eight months for its initial season.
For its inaugural season, the PFL will only have one division, playing in a home-and-away, double round-robin format with top four teams advancing in the semis and later in the finals.
On the composition of the team, Gastanes said that each team should have minimum of 25 players with a maximum of 30, including three goalkeepers, four foreign players (3+1 player from the Asian Football Confederation), and a minimum of three youth players in the roster.
Along this program, Gastanes also said that each participating club must have their youth program.