The local domestic scene returns as the Philippines Football League brought to you by Qatar Airways Season 2022-2023 season kicked off last Sunday, 14 August 2022.
The league, which is composed of seven (7) participating clubs in defending champions United City FC, Kaya FC-Iloilo, Stallion Laguna FC, Dynamic Herb Cebu FC, Mendiola FC 1991, Maharlika Manila FC, and Azkals Development Team, will run from August 2022 to May 2023 totaling to 84 matches.
Furthermore, the league has aligned its match fixtures with the AFC competitions calendar beginning next year. The first two rounds will be played from August to November 2022 followed by the third and fourth rounds scheduled for January to May 2023.
Qatar Airways, the Title Sponsor and Official Airline Partner, reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippine Football Federation and to the league as its official marks and logo will have prominence on all league branding through on ground, on air, and digital content activations throughout the competition.
“We are delighted that despite the pandemic, which ravaged the local domestic scene for the past two years, Qatar Airways has expressed their willingness to continue the partnership it has established with the Philippine Football Federation as the title sponsor and Official Airline Partner of the Philippines Football League,” said PFF president Mariano Araneta, Jr. “With a full season about to unfold, we look forward to the football rivalries and intense competition that will reinvigorate the domestic football scene in the country.”
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: What makes this partnership truly unique is that we have a very strong connection with the Philippines. Football unites fans and cultures, which is why it is important to play a role in making sure the beautiful game flourishes here through the efforts of the Philippine Football Federation. Additionally, Qatar Airways operates extensive services to Manila, Clark and Cebu from Doha. This partnership demonstrates our long-term commitment to further growing and developing our operations in the Philippines.”
For the first time since the onset of the pandemic, league matches will be played in several venues across the country with the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila, Biñan Football Stadium in Biñan, Laguna, City of Imus Grandstand in Imus, Cavite, and the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite as the initial match venues. Additionally, the league, through the initiative of the clubs, will hold select matches at the Dynamic Herb Sports Complex in Cebu, the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac, and the Iloilo Sports Complex in Iloilo.
“With the return of the professional football scene, we envisioned that the clubs have the capability to host their own matches in their nominated home venues,” added PFF general secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes. “We see to it that the league, with the support of our title sponsor and official airline partner Qatar Airways, will serve as a viable livelihood for the players, staff, and match officials.”
Prior to the official league kickoff, the league played the initial scheduled matches on 07 and 08 August 2022 and as to guide the clubs in the hosting of their matches with Kaya FC-Iloilo and United City FC prevailing over their opponents, Azkals Development Team and Maharlika Manila FC, 1-0 and 5-0 respectively.
Rizal Memorial Stadium played host two matches last Sunday as Stallion Laguna defeated Maharlika Manila, 2-1, in the first match while Kaya FC-Iloilo hammered Dynamic Herb Cebu FC, 3-0. At the same time, United City FC defeated Mendiola FC, 5-0, at the City of Imus Grandstand at 4:00 PM.
A triple-header is scheduled this coming Saturday 20 August 2022 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium with Azkals Development Team taking on Maharlika Manila at 3:00 PM followed by Kaya FC-Iloilo vs. Mendiola FC 1991 at 5:30 PM and the clash between United City FC and Dynamic Herb Cebu FC taking place at 8:00 PM.
“After months of anticipation, our professional league has finally kicked off and it has set a stage where healthy football competition will flourish,” said PFL Commissioner Mikhail Torre. “We look forward to the staging of the league which will be held from August 2022 to May 2023 as we aligned our schedule with the Asian football calendar.”
League matches will be live-streamed through its Facebook and YouTube accounts. Football fans and stakeholders are also encouraged to watch the matches live at the venues with the clubs already providing match tickets for everyone to watch.
About Qatar Airways
In its goal to bring communities together through sport, the World’s Best Airline has an extensive global sports partnership portfolio that includes FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Bayern München, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, and additional partnerships across multiple sports disciplines such as equestrianism, kitesurfing, padel and tennis.
As FIFA’s Official Airline Partner since 2017, Qatar Airways has sponsored mega events including the 2019 and 2020 editions of the FIFA Club World Cup™, and the FIFA Arab Cup™, all of which were hosted in Qatar. The airline is also eagerly anticipating the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – the first in the Middle East.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the 2021 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organization, Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. The airline continues to stand alone at the top of the industry having won the main prize for an unprecedented sixth time (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021).
Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 150 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, voted by Skytrax as the ‘World’s Best Airport’ 2022.