The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) launched on 30 May 2014 a new tournament that will promote women’s football in the country. Dubbed as the PFF Women’s Cup 2014, ten (10) teams will compete in a 9-a-side format from June 8 to August 3, 2014. Venues being arranged for the tournament matches include the Turf BGC in Taguig City, FEU Diliman’s turf field in Quezon City, and the newly renovated Rizal Memorial Stadium football field whose conversion into artificial turf was recently completed.
“We are pleased to launch the 1st PFF Women’s Cup and we are excited to see this bloom into a full-blown amateur league, and later hopefully into a semi-professional league” said PFF President Mariano “Nonong” Araneta. “This maiden tournament for women footballers shows PFF’s commitment to promoting women’s football. We are happy to note the firm support from various stakeholders of women’s football,” he added.
While the tournament is open to all women’s football clubs and collegiate teams across the country, ten teams from Metro Manila responded to the invitation. These include UAAP teams Ateneo, UP, UST and FEU, and clubs Chelsea FC, Sikat FC, Loyola Meralco Sparks FC, Aguila FC and Mendiola FC. The College of St. Benilde is also fielding its squad. The ten teams are divided into two (2) groups with each group to play a single round robin. The top two teams in each group will advance to a cross-over semi-final matches. Winners of the semi-final matches will play for the championship.
“While clubs and teams appear to come from Metro Manila, there is no gainsaying the fact that these teams are composed of players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Thus, the players represent our regions and provinces.” said PFF General Secretary Edwin Gastanes. “PFF sees the need to provide our female footballers with more playing opportunities. Playing frequently in high-pressure matches such as the ones we expect to have in this tournament are key components in strengthening women’s football in the country.” Atty. Gastanes added.
The tournament will be managed by a Tournament Committee chaired by Cyril Dofitas, with Ernie Nierras as Tournament Commissioner and Bert Honasan as Match Commissioner. Passionate women football enthusiasts, notably Kristine Nolan, Neriza Joaquin, Joan Paras, Pamela Puri, Venice Furio and Corrine Cueto from Pinay Futbol, have been appointed to various positions in the Organizing Committee.
The PFF Women’s Cup 2014 is seen as providing opportunities for scouting new talents for various women’s national teams, as venues where new talents will emerge, and as a platform to encourage more female players to play football.
As the first women’s tournament organized by the PFF, this is expected to be a test-run for possible bigger tournaments in the future. “We are training women football stakeholders such as those from Pinay Futbol and women football clubs how to organize and implement a tournament professionally, so that when the time comes they become more knowledgeable in organizing women football tournaments.” PFF Women’s Football Department head Ernie Nierras stated.
