By Adrian Stewart Co
With the uncertainty of the COVID-19 situation in the country, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) mulls cancelling the 2021 season of the Philippines Football League (PFL).
PFL commissioner Coco Torre said that there will be a meeting among the league officials on September 30 to determine whether the 2021 season will still push through or just cancel it.
“Cancelling the 2021 PFL season is a possibility especially if the COVID-19 cases do not slow down. Right now we are hitting average 20K cases per day and it’s not a good indication,” Torre said.
“We will only play when it is safe since we put health and safety at the core of our principle,” he added. “We will have a meeting next week to determine if we will still have a 2021 season.”
The PFL 2021 season was originally set to start on August 21 but it was postponed by the PFF with the National Capital Region being placed under enhanced community quarantine.
The PFF then decided to move the opening schedule to September 25 but the current COVID-19 situation in the country still made it impossible to conduct games.
Bannering the teams supposedly competing in the upcoming season are defending champions United City Football Club and 2020 PFL season runner up Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo, who were both fresh from their stints in the 2021 AFC Champions League.
Also returning for the 2021 season are the Azkals Developmental Team, Stallion-Laguna Football Club, Maharlika Manila Football Club, and Mendiola Football Club 1991.
There will also be newcomers in Dynamic Herb Cebu Football Club, which were given a provisionary license by the league, while Laos Football Club and Rapids Football Club are still waiting for the PFL’s approval for their participation.
The PFF National Training Centre in Carmona, Cavite is set to be the league’s primary venue while the Biñan Football Stadium in Biñan, Laguna is being eyed as another option./ASC, WDJ