List of Philippines Football League clubs

Last updated

The following is a list of clubs who have played in the Philippines Football League since its inception in 2017.

Contents

Over the five years and four seasons of the league, fifteen teams have played or will play in the league, 4 clubs based in the Visayas region, 1 based in Mindanao, and the rest in Luzon. 11 teams at one point or another were based within Metro Manila, while one club (Philippine Air Force) has no designated home stadium. Following the league's franchise requirements, most teams applying for a provisional license must forge a partnership with their home city. Mendiola 1991, after obtaining an AFC license, currently have Imus, Cavite as their home province while their stadium is under construction in Taytay, Rizal. Likewise, United City are temporarily based in Capas, Tarlac while their stadium is under construction in Pampanga.

Of the original 8 founding members, only three clubs are still participating in the league: United City, Kaya–Iloilo, and Stallion Laguna. One club, formerly known as Meralco Manila and presently known as Loyola, plans to join the league in the 2022 season. Three of the clubs have not yet participated in a full-length league season, having first participated in either the shortened 2020 season or in the subsequent editions of the Copa Paulino Alcantara. One team, namely the Azkals Development Team, is a guest team as well as a developmental team but treats itself as a professional club and a permanent member of the league. Of the fifteen teams, two clubs are named after sponsors (Ceres–Negros and Dynamic Herb Cebu).

Aside from Loyola, there have been other multiple changes of names and localities since the league started in 2017. Kaya, now based in Iloilo, was known as Kaya–Makati until relocating in early 2018. Davao Aguilas changed their name to Davao Aguilas Bellmare following the club's partnership with Shonan Bellmare of Japan. The now-defunct Global was once based in Cebu and was known as Global Cebu, then relocated to Makati and renamed themselves to Global Makati, then before the blacklisting of the club in mid-2020, they renamed to "Global" without the locality in the club name. The most notable example is United City, who were formerly known as Ceres–Negros until 2020, when the club folded and was taken over by MMC Sportz Asia, relocating from Bacolod to Capas.

Table

All statistics refer to the clubs' participation in the PFL only, not counting their records in the Copa Paulino Alcantara. For the top scorer section, players whose names are marked in bold still play for the club they scored the most goals for. Clubs whose names are in bold are current members while clubs in italics were founding members.

ClubLocationFirst seasonLatest seasonSeasonsMost recent
finish
Highest
finish
Top scorer
Azkals Development Team Carmona 2020 2022 13rd3rd Jarvey Gayoso (4)
Ceres–Negros Bacolod 2017 2019 31st1st Bienvenido Marañón (67)
Davao Aguilas Tagum 2017 2018 23rd3rd Phil Younghusband (17)
Dynamic Herb Cebu Cebu City 2022 2022 0TBDTBDTBD
Global Cebu Makati 2017 2019 37th2nd Darryl Roberts (15)
Green Archers United Lipa 2019 2019 14th4thJohn Celiz, Stephen Appiah (7)
Ilocos United Bantay 2017 2017 18th8th Chima Uzoka (8)
JPV Marikina Marikina 2017 2018 25th5th Darryl Roberts (15)
Kaya–Iloilo Iloilo City 2017 2022 42nd2nd Jordan Mintah (54)
Maharlika Manila Manila 2020 2022 15th5thJeremy Theuer, Jose Montelibano (1)
Mendiola 1991 Imus 2019 2022 24th4thAshley Flores (10)
Meralco Manila Manila 2017 2017 13rd3rd Curt Dizon, Tahj Minniecon (7)
Philippine Air Force None 2019 2019 16th6thDarl Poderoso (3)
Stallion Laguna Biñan 2017 2022 46th3rd Jesus Melliza (33)
United City Capas 2020 2022 11st1st Bienvenido Marañón (7)

Overview of clubs by season

Club 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022
Azkals Development Team 3TBD
Ceres–Negros 111
Davao Aguilas 73
Dynamic Herb Cebu TBD
Global Cebu 267
Green Archers United 4
Ilocos United 8
JPV Marikina 65
Kaya–Iloilo 4222TBD
Maharlika Manila 5TBD
Mendiola 1991 54TBD
Meralco Manila 3
Philippine Air Force 6
Stallion Laguna 5436TBD
United City 1TBD
Legend
  PFL Champion and qualified for AFC Champions League or AFC Cup
  Qualified for AFC Champions League or AFC Cup
  Participated in PFL
  Did not participate in PFL

Notes

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    References