2021 Philippines Football League
{{Short description|Cancelled 5th season of the Philippines Football League}}
{{use Philippine English|date=February 2023}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox football league season
| competition = Philippines Football League
| season = 2021
| dates = October 27, 2021 {{nowrap|(latest scheduled start date)}}
| winners = None awarded
| continentalcup1 = AFC Champions League
| continentalcup1 qualifiers =
| continentalcup2 = AFC Cup
| continentalcup2 qualifiers =
| matches =
| total goals =
| league topscorer =
| biggest home win =
| biggest away win =
| highest scoring =
| longest wins =
| longest unbeaten =
| longest winless =
| longest losses =
| highest attendance =
| lowest attendance =
| average attendance =
| prevseason = 2020
| nextseason = 2022–23
}}
The 2021 Philippines Football League (known as The Philippines Football League brought to you by Qatar Airways for sponsorship reasons) was to be the fifth season of Philippines Football League (PFL), professional football league of the Philippines. However, the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |title=Copa Paulino Alcantara to usher in 2022 season |url=https://pfl.org.ph/copa-paulino-alcantara-usher-2022-season/ |access-date=28 October 2021 |work=The Philippines Football League |date=27 October 2021}}
Cancellation
The league's 2021 season was scheduled to kick off on August 21, 2021, but was postponed due to the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.{{cite news |last1=Pedralvez |first1=Manolo |title=Football: Gov't clearance needed for foreign players tapped by PFL clubs |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/11/21/football-govt-clearance-needed-for-foreign-players-tapped-by-pfl-clubs |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=ABS-CBN News |date=10 July 2021 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Carmen |first1=Lorenzo |title=PFF reschedules PFL opener due to ECQ |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/pff-reschedules-pfl-opener-due-to-ecq/216128 |access-date=5 August 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=5 August 2021}} It was postponed again for several times.{{cite news |last1=Suyu |first1=Ian |title=PFL eyes September opening |url=https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/08/12/pfl-eyes-september-opening/ |access-date=12 August 2021 |work=Daily Tribune |date=11 August 2021}}{{cite web |title=PFL Season 2021 kickoff postponed to September |url=https://pfl.org.ph/pfl-season-2021-kickoff-postponed-september/ |website=Philippines Football League |access-date=16 August 2021 |date=16 August 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Rosale |first1=Glendale |title=Dynamic Herb players demoralized by postponements of season opening |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/407273/dynamic-herb-players-demoralized-by-postponements-of-season-opening |access-date=21 October 2021 |work=Cebu Daily News |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=21 October 2021}} The latest schedule for the season's start date was on October 27, 2021, provided that Cavite is under general community quarantine by October 16 and there are at least six confirmed participating clubs.{{cite news |title=PFL sets conditions to clubs for 2021 season |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/pfl-sets-conditions-to-clubs-for-2021-season/221420 |access-date=7 October 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=7 October 2021}}
The 2021 season was cancelled on October 22, 2021, and it was announced that the league cup tournament, 2021 Copa Paulino Alcantara, would be held in its place. It will start on November 7, 2021.{{cite news |last1=Rosal |first1=Glendale |title=PFL to hold Copa Paulino Alcantara on Nov. 7 in Cavite |url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/407603/pfl-to-hold-copa-paulino-alcantara-on-nov-7-in-cavite |access-date=22 October 2021 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=22 October 2021 |language=en}} The organization of the Copa Paulino Alcantara was previously uncertain, having not been held during the previous season.{{cite news |last1=Terrado |first1=Reuben |title=Copa Paulino Alcantara canceled as PFL looks to open new season in July |url=https://www.spin.ph/football/pfl/pfl-set-for-july-17-league-opening-cancels-2021-copa-paulino-alcantara-a795-20210327 |access-date=27 March 2021 |work=Sports Interactive Network Philippines |date=27 March 2021 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=PFL eyes 2021 opening in April with Copa Paulino Alcantara|url=https://www.spin.ph/football/pfl/pfl-eyes-2021-opening-in-april-with-copa-paulino-alcantara-a795-20210116 |website=Sports Interactive Network Philippines |access-date=16 January 2021}}
Stadium
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" align=right |
| Carmona, Cavite |
|---|
| PFF National Training Center |
| Capacity: 1,200 |
| 250px |
| {{Location map+ |Luzon mainland |width=250 |float=center |caption=Location of the PFF National Training Center|places=
{{location map~ |Luzon |lat=14.295 |long=121.039 |position=left |label=Carmona}} }} |
Like previously, all games of 2021 season were planned to be held at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, under a close-circuit format due to prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. Biñan Football Stadium in Biñan, Laguna is being considered as a potential second venue.{{cite news |last1=del Carmen |first1=Lorenzo |title=PFL pencils August 21 for closed-circuit season |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/pfl-pencils-august-21-for-closed-circuit-season/213445 |access-date=16 July 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=16 July 2021}}
Teams
Cebu F.C. was given a provisional club license, which would have allowed the club to debut in the now cancelled 2021 season. Laos and Rapids F.C. from Cagayan de Oro were the other applicant clubs.{{cite news |last1=del Carmen |first1=Lorenzo |title=PFF gives Cebu provisionary license; Laos given deadline to fulfill requirements |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/pfl-gives-cebu-provisionary-license-laos-given-deadline-to-fulfill-requirements/215491 |access-date=2 August 2021 |work=Tiebreaker Times |date=30 July 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Suyu |first1=Ian |title=2 teams to join PFL |url=https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/02/12/2-teams-to-join-pfl/ |access-date=12 February 2021 |work=Daily Tribune |date=11 February 2021 |archive-date=February 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212035501/https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/02/12/2-teams-to-join-pfl/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=Suyu |first1=Ian |title=PFL welcomes new team |url=https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/14/pfl-welcomes-new-team/ |access-date=26 March 2021 |work=Daily Tribune |date=14 March 2021 |archive-date=November 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107005144/https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/03/14/pfl-welcomes-new-team/ |url-status=dead }}
=Personnel and kits=
=Coaching changes=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Team
! Outgoing coach ! Manner of departure ! Date of vacancy ! Incoming coach ! Date of appointment |
|---|
| United City
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} Trevor Morgan{{ref|n1|1}} | align="center"| Undisclosed | rowspan="3" align="center" | Undisclosed | {{Flagicon|ENG}} Jason Withe |
| Kaya–Iloilo
|{{Flagicon|JPN}} Yu Hoshide | align="center"| Demoted to assistant manager | {{flagicon|ENG}} Graham Harvey{{ref|n2|1}} | 10 June 2021 |
| Maharlika Manila
|{{Flagicon|PHI}} Roxy Dorlas | align="center"| Undisclosed | {{Flagicon|PHI}} Arvin Soliman{{cite web |title=Arvin Soliman named new Maharlika Manila FC head coach |url=https://pfl.org.ph/arvin-soliman-named-new-maharlika-manila-fc-head-coach/ |website=Philippines Football League |access-date=16 August 2021 |date=30 July 2021}} | 30 July 2021 |
| Kaya–Iloilo
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Graham Harvey{{ref|n2|1}} | align="center"| End of Contract | {{Flagicon|JPN}} Yu Hoshide | October 2021 |
:1. {{note|n1}} Named head coach for the 2020 season but was not able to coach the team.{{cite news |last1=Suyu |first1=Ian |title=Schrock ready to roll |url=https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2020/10/14/schrock-ready-to-roll/ |access-date=October 25, 2020 |work=Daily Tribune |date=October 14, 2020 |quote=Head coach Trevor Morgan is not yet around, but the squad remains composed, thanks to former Ceres mentor Frank Muescan manning to fort. |archive-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028205833/https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2020/10/14/schrock-ready-to-roll/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Management |url=https://www.unitedcityfootballclub.com/management |website=United City Football Club |language=en |access-date=November 7, 2021 |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025151050/https://www.unitedcityfootballclub.com/management |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=United City F.C. Official Coaches |url=https://twitter.com/UnitedCityFoot1/status/1317389923008303104/photo/2 |website=Twitter |publisher=United City F.C. |language=en}} Withe was hired for the 2020 AFC Champions League due to having the appropriate pro coaching license to lead a club in the continental tournament.{{cite news |last1=Pedralvez |first1=Manolo |title=PFL: Coach Withe on taking over holders United City — 'Welcome pressure' |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/12/21/pfl-coach-withe-on-taking-over-holders-united-city-welcome-pressure |access-date=7 November 2021 |work=ABS-CBN News |date=11 April 2021 |language=en}}
:1. {{note|n2}} Coached for the club at the 2020 AFC Champions League.
Foreign players
A maximum of five foreigners are allowed per club, with four players of any nationality and a fifth coming from an AFC member nation. This is a change from the previous four seasons which followed the AFC's "3+1" rule. This resulted from an earlier press conference dubbed We Are PFL 2021, where managers of the clubs expressed a desire to increase the foreign quota from four to five.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" |
| style="width:200px;" | Club
! style="width:800px;" colspan=5| Players ! style="width:200px;" | Former Players |
|---|
| Azkals Development Team
| colspan=5 align=center{{N/A|None}} | align=center{{N/A|None}} |
| Dynamic Herb Cebu
| {{flagicon|ARG}} Ricardo Sendra | {{flagicon|ESP}} Joaco Cañas | | | | |
| Kaya–Iloilo
| {{flagicon|GHA}} Patrick Asare | {{flagicon|JPN}} Ryo Fujii | {{flagicon|JPN}} Daizo Horikoshi | {{flagicon|TRI}} Carlyle Mitchell{{cite web |title=Kaya FC-Iloilo's 2021 Squad is Taking Shape – Kaya FC–Iloilo |url=https://www.kayafc.com/news/kaya-fc-iloilos-2021-squad-is-taking-shape/ |publisher=Kaya F.C. |access-date=13 March 2021 |date=11 March 2021}} | {{flagicon|JPN}} Masanari Omura | {{flagicon|GHA}} Emmanuel Osei |
| Maharlika Manila
| {{flagicon|CMR}} Henri Bandeken | {{flagicon|DRC}} Gary Epesso | {{flagicon|CMR}} Serge Kaole | | | {{flagicon|ESP}} Joaco Cañas |
| Mendiola 1991
| {{flagicon|GHA}} Daniel Ashley | {{flagicon|CIV}} Hosni Dosso | {{flagicon|IRN}} Hamed Hajimehdi | {{flagicon|SKO}} Kim Minsu | | {{flagicon|CIV}} Dini Ouattara |
| Stallion Laguna
| {{flagicon|KOR}} Kim Sungmin | {{flagicon|USA}} Abraham Placito | {{flagicon|BRA}} Gabriel Silva | {{flagicon|SEN}} Abou Sy | {{flagicon|MEX}} Juan Trujillo | {{flagicon|SEN}} Ibrahima Ndour |
| United City
| {{flagicon|USA}} Jonny Campbell | {{flagicon|NZL}} Jai Ingham | {{flagicon|SKO}} Jung Da-hwon | {{flagicon|ESP}} Bienvenido Marañón{{Ref|1|1}} | | {{flagicon|JPN}} Takashi Odawara |
Notes
:1.{{Note|1}} Now a naturalized citizen of the Philippines. Sporting nationality change was subject to be confirmed by FIFA.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" width=50% | |
| colspan=2 style="width:200px;" | Foreign players by confederation | |
|---|---|
| width=10%| AFC | {{flag|South Korea}} (3), {{flag|Japan}} (3), {{flag|Iran}} (1) |
| width=10%| CAF | {{flag|Ghana}} (2), {{flag|Cameroon}} (2), {{flag|Senegal}} (1), {{flag|Ivory Coast}} (1), {{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (1) |
| width=10%| CONCACAF | {{flag|Mexico}} (1), {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}} (1), {{flag|United States}} (2) |
| width=10%| CONMEBOL | {{flag|Brazil}} (1), {{flag|Argentina}} (1) |
| width=10%| OFC | {{flag|New Zealand}} (1) |
| width=10%| UEFA | {{flag|Spain}} (2) |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Philippines Football League}}
{{2021 in Asian football (AFC)}}