The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Club Licensing Unit submitted to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) the list of the licensed Philippine professional football clubs that are eligible to compete in the AFC Club Competitions for the year 2023/24.
Four (4) clubs applied for an AFC license namely: Kaya FC-Iloilo, Dynamic Herb Cebu FC, Stallion Laguna FC, and Mendiola FC 1991. The grant of an AFC Club License permits a club to compete in AFC club competitions such as the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup, subject to PFF’s nomination to AFC of its representative clubs to the aforementioned competitions.
The PFF First Instance Body (FIB) convened last 18 May 2023 and deliberated on the applications for club licensing based on the following criteria stipulated in the AFC Club Licensing Regulations: Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel and Administrative, Legal, and Financial..
The FIB issued the following decisions:
AFC Club License for AFC Champions LeagueKaya FC-Iloilo – Granted with sanction
Dynamic Herb Cebu FC – Granted with sanction
Stallion Laguna FC – Rejected
AFC Club License for AFC CupStallion Laguna FC – Granted with sanction
Mendiola FC 1991 – Rejected
The FIB has already informed the clubs of its decisions, likewise PFF have already submitted to AFC the list of eligible clubs for AFC Club Competitions for 2023/24.
The FIB also decided to revoke the domestic license of United City FC for the 2022/23 season.
Philippine football clubs interested to participate in any PFF Club Competitions must go through this process to apply for a club license.
Clubs who want to express their intent to compete in the Philippines Football League 2023/2024 season and Copa Paulino Alcantara 2024 season are required to lodge their application this year. The deadline of application is on 15 July 2023.
Applicant clubs must comply with the five (5) criteria stipulated in the PFF Club Licensing Regulations: Sporting, Infrastructure, Personnel and Administrative, Legal, and Financial. The criteria in the regulations are graded into three (3) separate categories: “A” criteria (mandatory), “B” criteria, and “C” criteria.
The PFF Club Licensing Regulations is readily available at https://pff.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PFF-Club-Licensing-Regulations-2017-Large-min.pdf.
Interested football clubs may contact the PFF Club Licensing Unit at phifootballfederation@gmail.com, with attention to Ms. Andrea Cassandra Laurel, PFF Club Licensing Manager.