Longer and bigger Philippines Football League eyes February 2024 kickoff

Photo credits: Kaya Futbol Club

Reeling behind the success of the expanded Copa Paulino Alcantara this season, the Philippine Football Federation finally opens its doors to amateur and armed forces clubs ahead of the 2024 season of the Philippines Football League.

The participation of amateur clubs like Davao Aguilas - UMak FC, Club de Futbol Manila, Pilipinas Dragons, Garelli United FC, Manila Digger FC, and Loyola FC as well as armed forces clubs Philippine Air Force FC and Philippine Army FC drew a lot of positive comments which was seen by the PFF as a welcoming sign.

Because of this, The invitation to the clubs is to expand the number of teams to 10-12 teams and to make the league inclusive to all football clubs in a hybrid format wherein professional and amateur clubs compete against one another. The league is also set to sport a unique three-stage competition format: the ranking phase, the division phase, and the knockout phase.

Through this setup, it is expected that football fans will be treated to action-packed matches on a weekly basis as well as being able to see where the Philippines are at in terms of its club football scene. PFF president Mariano Araneta and general secretary/league commissioner Coco Torre highlight the development of club football in the country brought on by the expanded PFL.

“The success of the Copa Paulino Alcantara 2023 season just goes to show that football has to be inclusive to all stakeholders,” said Araneta. “The expansion of the league from the previous seven teams to a projected 10-12 teams and the new competition format will see plenty of action packed football of which the fans can anticipate every week.”

The ranking phase will see all the clubs play one round of matches, of which the top and bottom teams will be divided into two categories in the division phase. The division phase will see the two groups play one round of matches, where all the teams in the first division and the top two teams in the second division will advance to the knockout phase which consists of the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and final match.

The PFL plans to hold the ranking phase on a home-and-away format depending on the club's preference. The division phase will see the teams in the first division compete in a home-and-away format while the second division will be centrally hosted. Lastly, the knockout stage will be held in a centralized format. In preparation for the upcoming PFL season, plans are already underway to conduct a competition workshop this December 2023.

Lastly, in an effort to bring the game closer to the fans, The PFL is also planning to make its return on national television with at least one (1) live match shown on television on a weekly basis.