2020 Philippines Football League

The 2020 Philippines Football League, also known as The Philippines Football League brought to you by Qatar Airways,[1] due to the league's title sponsorship of Qatar Airways, is the fourth season of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the professional football league of the Philippines.

Philippines Football League
Season2020
DatesOctober 28 – November 9, 2020
ChampionsUnited City
4th title
AFC Champions LeagueUnited City
AFC CupKaya–Iloilo
Matches played15
Goals scored46 (3.07 per match)
Top goalscorerBienvenido Marañón
(7 goals)
Highest scoringMaharlika Manila 0–10 United City
(November 3)
Longest winning runUnited City
(October 28 – November 6)
(4 matches)
Longest unbeaten runKaya–Iloilo
(October 28 – November 9)
(5 matches)
Longest winless runStallion Laguna
(October 31 – November 12)
(5 matches)
Longest losing runStallion Laguna
(November 6 – 12)
(3 matches)
← 2019
2021 →

For the first time, the champion of the tournament qualified for the Group Stage of the 2021 AFC Champions League, which was expanded to 40 teams from previous 32.

Originally scheduled to start on March 21, 2020, the league was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league was supposed to commence on October 25, 2020 under a shortened calendar with each club playing a total of only five matches. However the opener was postponed once again to October 28 due to five players and a coach testing positive for COVID-19, as well as due to anticipated inclement weather by Typhoon Molave (Quinta).

All matches were held at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite. The 2020 season played under a bubble format with all players and staff restricted to the Seda Nuvali hotel in Santa Rosa, Laguna, where they were checked-in for the entire duration of the season, and the playing venue in Carmona.

United City, which had been rebranded from Ceres–Negros starting this season, are the three-time defending champions. As Ceres–Negros, they have won every season of top-tier Philippine professional league football so far in the PFL era. They successfully defended their title when they won 7–1 against Stallion Laguna on November 6, 2020 with one match to spare and winning its previous three matches.[2] Kaya–Iloilo became the first-ever team in PFL history to remain unbeaten during the duration of the league and not win the title.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Postponement

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league's commencement, originally scheduled for March 21, was postponed at two times. First, the league's opening match was moved to April 18,[3] and was later moved again to late-May.[4] The league adopted a double home-and-away format for the 2020 seasons, with each club playing against each other four times for a total of 60 matches.[5]

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is planning to start the league on July 15 with practice sessions for the league's member clubs planned to commence on June 15. The PFF has submitted a 27-page document outlying the protocols on how to organize the league amidst the pandemic to the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) on May 30 for approval prior to sending the same to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on June 1.[6][7]

The IATF-EID announced on July 3, that it has allowed the clubs of the PFL to conduct training.[8][9] The PFF plans to start the season on August 15.[10] Staff and players of the member PFL clubs underwent RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 on July 8, 2020.[11]

A joint administration order by GAB, the Department of Health, and the Philippine Sports Commission[12] was released within the July 2020, but start of training was postponed due to the re-imposition of modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces from August 4 to 18.[13] GAB and the IATF allowed the league to start.[14] The PFF spent an estimated amount of ₱6 million just to start the postponed season.[15]

The kickoff of the league on October 25 was postponed due to expected inclement weather conditions caused by Typhoon Molave (Quinta).[16] Also nine people including five players and a coach from two clubs tested positive for COVID-19.[17] The league organizers maintained that the disease has been contained[18][19] and the season began on October 28, 2020.[20]

Format changes

Due to the league's postponement, the league for the 2020 season feature a shortened calendar to be played under a single round-robin format,[14] instead of a double round-robin format[21] with each team playing only five matches for the whole season.[22] Several situational calendars have been prepared for the planning of the league's schedule.[21]

There was a prior plan to adopt a playoff finals consisting of a semifinals and finals phase after the regular season.[14] The league last had a playoff finals in the 2017 season which was known as the Final Series.[23] This plan was scrapped in favor of a shorter schedule to minimize injury risk for the league's players.[24]

The Copa Paulino Alcantara for the 2020 season was cancelled due to the time constraints caused by the postponement of the league. Due to this, the league second placers will qualify for the 2021 AFC Champions League playoffs scheduled for February 2021.[6][25]

Bubble
PFL Bubble venues
Key:-
1
PFF National Training Centre
2
Seda Nuvali

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic players and staff of the PFL for the 2020 season were confined in a "bubble" setup. For the duration of the season they will only be allowed at the Seda Nuvali hotel in Santa Rosa, Laguna where they were checked-in and the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite where training and league matches were held. Players and staff underwent a series of test prior and shortly after entering the "bubble".[24]

Schedule

The PFL bubble followed the schedule below:[26]

Stage/roundDate(s)
Pre-bubble entry RT-PCR testingOctober 16
Entry into the PFL bubbleOctober 21[27]
League matchesOctober 28 – November 9

The league final match day which was originally scheduled on November 12, 2020 was cancelled due to Typhoon Vamco (Ulysses).[28]

Teams
Carmona, Cavite
PFF National Training Centre
Capacity: 1,200
Location of the PFF National Training Centre.

Six clubs, including the Azkals Development Team, participated in the 2020 season.[29] Ceres-Negros rebranded as United City and competed under that name starting the 2020 season.[30] Green Archers United and Philippine Air Force decided not to participate for this season.[31] Newly formed Maharlika F.C. (later renamed Maharlika Manila F.C.) applied to join the league, which was eventually approved.[32][33] After a scandal involving Global F.C. refusing to pay their players' salaries, the PFF and PFL ordered Global to comply with the regulations and sort out all their payments within 10 days. After 10 days, Global had still not paid, and therefore their case was referred to the PFF's Club Licensing First Instance Body (FIB), and rendered them unable to compete in the 2020 season. Appropriate licensing fees for applicant clubs were waived due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Stadium

Most league matches were originally planned to be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium instead of the club's designated home stadiums for the 2020 season.[34] However, due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, all matches were held at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite, approximately 6.70 kilometers (4.16 mi) south of Metro Manila.[35] The clubs were requested to hold their training sessions at the venue.[36]

The Rizal Memorial Stadium and the Biñan Football Stadium were ruled out as possible primary venues for the 2020 season due to the venues being close to COVID-19 quarantine/isolation facilities (at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the Alonte Sports Arena).[25]

The Games and Amusements Board allowed training sessions to be held at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona and the Blue Pitch at the Circuit Makati in Makati, Metro Manila.[37]

Personnel and kits
Team Head coach Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt partner
Azkals Development Team Scott Cooper Marvin Angeles LGR Alphaland Corporation
Stream Mobile
Kaya–Iloilo Yu Hoshide Jovin Bedic Adidas LBC
Fitness First
Maharlika Manila Roxy Dorlas Jerry Barbaso Gameville Sportswear Philam Life
Reparil Ice-Spray
Arepa Nootropics
Mendiola 1991 Dan Padernal Ashley Flores FAT Penson and Company
Focus Athletics
Stallion Laguna Ernest Nierras1 Ruben Doctora Cutz Apparel Giligan's Restaurant
Pi Tracer
Airlock389
United City Trevor Morgan3 Stephan Schröck Montè Athletics Manila Regenerative Center
Midas Magnesium
Gatorade

Coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointment
Kaya–Iloilo Noel Marcaida End of Contract December 31, 2019[38] Pre-season Yu Hoshide2 Unknown
United City Risto Vidaković Force Majeure July 8, 2020 Pre-season Trevor Morgan3 August 21, 2020
Maharlika Manila None N/A N/A Pre-season Roxy Dorlas August 24, 2020[39]

Interim coach

1.^ Ernest Nierras was only able to join Stallion Laguna on November 2, 2020.[40] Richard Leyble is Nierras' assistant coach.[41]
2.^ Oliver Colina was interim head coach for the 2020 AFC Cup. He took a leave-of absence from his original teams, Leylam FC and the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles.[42] Yu Hoshide took over sometime prior to the beginning of the season.
3.^ Frank Muescan was named interim head coach by October 2020 prior to the start of the season due to Trevor Morgan not arriving yet despite being signed in as United City's coach.[43][44][45]

Foreign players

A maximum of four foreigners are allowed per club which follows the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) '3+1 rule'; three players of any nationality and a fourth coming from an AFC member nation.

Club Players Former Players1
Azkals Development Team None
Kaya–Iloilo Carlyle Mitchell Daizo Horikoshi Masanari Omura Emmanuel Osei Takumi Uesato
Maharlika Manila Joaquin Cañas[46] Kim Sung-min Serge Kaole Henry Bandeken Daniel Matsunaga
Mendiola 1991 Souleyman Ndepe Stephen Appiah Hamed Hajimehdi Dini Ouattara Milad Behgandom
Stallion Laguna Ricardo Sendra Ibrahima Ndour Abou Sy Kim Dongyeon
United City Takashi Odawara Bienvenido Marañón Robert Lopez Mendy Súper[47]

Notes

1.^ Includes pre-season signings of players who weren't able to enter the PFL Bubble.
Foreign players by confederation
AFC Japan (3),  South Korea (1),  Iran (1)
CAF Ghana (2),  Cameroon (3),  Senegal (3),  Ivory Coast (1)
CONCACAF Trinidad and Tobago (1)
CONMEBOL Argentina (1)
UEFA Spain (2)

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 United City (C) 5 4 0 1 25 3 +22 12 Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage
2 Kaya–Iloilo 5 3 2 0 5 2 +3 11 Qualification for AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs
3 Azkals Development Team[lower-alpha 1] 5 3 0 2 9 2 +7 9
4 Mendiola 1991 5 1 2 2 2 8 −6 5
5 Maharlika Manila 5 1 0 4 2 19 −17 3
6 Stallion Laguna 5 0 2 3 3 12 −9 2
Source: PFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.[49]
(C) Champion.
Notes:
  1. The Azkals Development Team were a guest team for the PFL and ineligible to qualify for AFC club competitions.[48]

Positions by round
Team ╲ Round12345
ADT45333
Kaya–Iloilo12222
Maharlika Manila43455
Mendiola 199166644
Stallion Laguna34566
United City11111
Updated to match(es) played on November 9, 2020. Source:

Results by round
Team ╲ Round12345
ADTLLWWW
Kaya-IloiloWWDDW
Maharlika ManilaLWLLL
MendiolaLLDWD
Stallion LagunaLDLLD
United CityWWWWL
Source:
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results
Club ADT KAY MAH MEN STA UNI
Azkals Development Team — — — 2–0 — —
Kaya–Iloilo 1–0 — 1–0 0–0 — —
Maharlika Manila 0–5 — — 0–2 — 0–10
Mendiola 1991 — — — — 0–0[lower-alpha 1] 0–6
Stallion Laguna 0–2 1–1 1–2 — — —
United City 1–0 1–2 — — 7–1 —
Source: PFL
Legend: Blue = left column team win; Yellow = draw; Red = top row team win.
Notes:
  1. Match was originally postponed due to Typhoon Vamco (Ulysses).[28] However the match never took place[50] and league records considered the match to be a goalless draw between Mendiola and Stallion.[51]

Season statistics

Top goalscorers
As of November 9, 2020
RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Bienvenido MarañónUnited City 7
2 Mike OttUnited City 6
3 Robert Lopez MendyUnited City 5
4 Javier GayosoADT 4
OJ PorteriaUnited City
6 Kenshiro DanielsKaya–Iloilo 2
Ibrahima N'DourStallion Laguna
Chima UzokaADT

Top assists
As of November 6, 2020
RankPlayerClubAssists
1 Hikaru MinegishiUnited City 6
2 Bienvenido MarañónUnited City 4
3 Robert Lopez MendyUnited City 3
4 Reynald VillarealStallion Laguna 2
Lance OcampoADT
Kenshiro DanielsKaya–Iloilo
Manuel OttUnited City
OJ PorteriaUnited City
Javier GayosoADT
Mike OttUnited City

Hat-tricks
As of November 6, 2020
Player Club Result Against Date Ref
Bienvenido Marañón United City 6–0 (A) Mendiola 1991 October 31, 2020
Robert Lopez Mendy United City 10–0 (A) Maharlika Manila November 3, 2020
OJ Porteria United City 10–0 (A) Maharlika Manila November 3, 2020
Bienvenido Marañón United City 7–1 (H) Stallion Laguna November 6, 2020

Clean sheets
As of November 9, 2020
Rank Player Club Clean
sheets
1 Anthony Pinthus United City 3
Louie Casas Kaya–Iloilo
3 Anton Yared ADT 2
4 Kenry Balobo Mendiola 1991 1
Quincy Kammeraad ADT
Dini Ouattara Mendiola 1991

Red cards
As of November 6, 2020
RankPlayerClubRed Cards
1 Manuel OttUnited City 1
Anton del RosarioMaharlika Manila

Awards

The following awards were given on November 9, 2020.[52][53]

Award Winner Club
Golden Ball Stephan Schröck United City
Golden Boot Bienvenido Marañón United City
Golden Glove Anthony Pinthus United City

References
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  3. "PFF AND PFL STATEMENT – POSTPONEMENT OF PHILIPPINES FOOTBALL LEAGUE SEASON 2020". Philippines Football League. March 13, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
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  5. Murillo, Michael Angelo (April 6, 2020). "PFL remains upbeat despite new season start pushed back twice". BusinessWorld. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
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  12. Saldajeno, Ivan (July 22, 2020). "PBA, PFL still waiting for admin order for practice return". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
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  44. "Management". United City Football Club.
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