American football in the Philippines

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American football in the Philippines
CountryPhilippines
Governing body American Tackle Football Federation of the Philippines (tackle-only)
National teams
International competitions

American football in the Philippines is a niche sport which has been in the country as early as the 1990s. Historically the Philippines had an tackle football league in the 2010s.

Contents

History

American football, in the form of flag football the non-contact variant has been in the Philippines as early as 1998. [1]

There were leagues for the standard American football or tackle football in the Philippines in the 2010s. The Philippine Tackle Football League which lasted from 2009 to 2015, and later the Philippine–American Football League founded in 2016 and halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. [2] The Philippine national tackle football team also debuted in 2014. [3] It was preceeded by the Philippine Punishers of the American Football Federation of the Philippines in 2011. [4] AFFP's women's team, the Lady Punishers played its first game in 2014. [5]

In 2023, Flag football has seens a resurgence with the establishment of the Philippine men's and women's national flag football teams. [2] [6]

Leagues

The ArenaBall Philippines was established in 2009 as a 7-a-side American football league in the Philippines. By the third season, the league now known as the Philippine Tackle Football League (PTFL) has transitioned to a 11-a-side game. However it became defunct in 2015. [7]

In 2016, the PTFL was supplanted by the Philippine–American Football League [8] The league was organized until the onset on the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. [7]

As of 2024, there are three active flag football leagues in Metro Manila; the Manila Flag Football League (MFL), the Philippine Olympic Committee-recognized Flag Football Philippines (FFP), and the league ran by the UP Flag Football Club (UPFFC). [7] Cebu has the Cebu Flag Football League. [9]

National teams

Tackle football
Flag football

Filipinos in the NFL

Among the Philippines-born Filipinos who have played in the National Football League (NFL) in the United States are Tim Tebow and Eugene Amano. [10]

References

  1. ↑ "Manila Flag Football League lives up to expectation". Metro News Central. 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Caniza, Annika (July 1, 2024). "This NFL Player Says Pinoys Can Shine in Flag Football". The Game. One Mega Group Inc. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  3. ↑ Velasco, Bill (August 16, 2014). "Aguilas' Day of Reckoning". The Philippine Star . Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (November 5, 2012). "PH Punishers on mission to generate interest in American game". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  5. ↑ "History unfolds as women to play American football for the first time in PH". Dugout Philippines. November 8, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  6. ↑ Pesquera, Allianza (October 12, 2023). "Meet The Women Repping PH In Flag Football Malaysia Game". mega-asia.com. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 Caniza, Annika (March 3, 2024). "Coach Velasquez Talks Manila's American Football Scene". The Game. One Mega Group Inc. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Philippine-American Football League (PAFL) – What Is Happening Six Years After?". Journal Online. August 4, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  9. ↑ "What is flag football and why is it a thriving sport in Cebu?". Cebu Daily News. August 19, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  10. ↑ Henson, Joaquin (January 9, 2008). "Pinoy heavyweight playing in NFL". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
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