With the approval from the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), upon favorable recommendation from the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), for Philippines Football League (PFL) clubs to resume their training session, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has reiterated its plans for the anticipated start of the PFL Season 2020.
PFF president Mariano Araneta, Jr. announced that league sponsor Qatar Airways has assured their commitment to the league once it kicks off. The PFF and Qatar Airways earlier signed a three-year partnership in January 2020 for Qatar Airways as Title Sponsor and Official Airline Partner of PFL.
“Qatar Airways has already remitted 50% of its sponsorship of the PFL for 2020,” said Araneta. “The partnership with Qatar Airways is a good development for the growth of football, they made good on their promise to support Philippines football.”
PFF general secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes also announced that the league will be formally be known as “The Philippines Football League brought to you by Qatar Airways.”
“The fourth PFL season will be supported by our sponsor, Qatar Airways,” explained Gastanes. “They have reconfirmed their faith to support Philippine football and to the PFL Season 2020”.
To prepare the clubs for their resumption of training and as part of PFF’s Operations Protocols for the PFL, an RT-PCR/swab test was conducted at the grounds of PFF House of Football in Pasig City last week 08 July 2020 for PFF staff and PFL clubs.
“All is well after the approval of IATF to resume training,” said PFL Commissioner Coco Torre. “PFL successfully conducted the testing of the clubs as a procedural requirement for them to return to training.”
The PFF-owned National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite was designated by PFF as venue for clubs training. PFF will also recognize a different training venue provided that they meet the protocols set for training grounds.
“Clubs should inform PFF of any proposed training venue so that assessment can be made on whether PFF’s protocols on training can be complied with” furthered Araneta.
With the league yet to have a definite start date, PFL is continuously updating tournament regulations for the upcoming season.
“The competition which originally was a double round-robin format, will be a single round-robin tournament just to continue and finish the 2020 league season and fit in to the football calendar this year,” added Torre.
Torre is also ramping up the league’s efforts to raise the profile of the PFL.
“The dynamics has always been shifting, and we are putting together the best long term strategic plan for us to move forward,” enthused Torre. “If we want a more competitive and exciting league, we need more clubs as it would also mean league stability. Football in the country is still developing, that’s why we need to raise awareness, build brand equity through a good product, and entice more sponsors to the sport.”