United Football League (Philippines)
Encyclopedia
The United Football League, commonly known as UFL, is an association football league in the Philippines
, governed by the United Football Clubs Association. The league
is composed of two divisions
, each with eight member football clubs
playing a double round-robin
format. Like most football leagues around the world, it adopts the standard point system
wherein match winners receive three points and losers get none. Each club receives a point, on the other hand, if the match ends in a draw. To avoid the country's rainy season, the tournament is usually played from January to June each year. The league is currently sponsored by LBC Express Inc., and it is officially known as the LBC United Football League.
The league started as semi-professional
tournament in 2009. Since then, it has been described as a thriving football league, organized by former football players and aficionados. At present, it is organized by the Football Alliance, whose long-term goal is the continued development of football in the Philippines through a premiere league.
Since the UFL first started, only one club has been crowned league champions. The current defending champions are Philippine Air Force F.C.
, who won the title in the 2010–11 season. Global F.C.
, on the other hand, won the recent UFL Cup
.
in the sport, the Football Alliance discussed with United Football Clubs Association president Christopher Hagedorn the possibility of creating a football league in the Philippines. At the time, the Filipino Premier League
, the country's top level football league governed by the Philippine Football Federation
, has already been discontinued after its inaugural season. Instead of creating a whole system and competition, the United Football Clubs Association agreed to partner with the Football Alliance in operating the United Football League, which was then a semi-professional
league.
After air cargo delivery service company LBC Express Inc. committed as the league's principal sponsor
in October 2009, the United Football League kicked off as a premiere league composed of several football team
s around the nation.
, and was originally composed of 16 local clubs. The 16 founding teams of the league were Philippine Air Force
, Kaya FC
, Union Manila, Loyola FC, Philippine Army
, Philippine Navy
, Green Archers United
, Mendiola United, Global FC
, Manila Nomads, Mama Africa FC, United South FC, Sunken Garden United
, Manila Lions
, Japan FC, and Diliman.
Network became the new TV partner with the signing of a multi-million peso, 5-year deal with two live matches every week.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, governed by the United Football Clubs Association. The league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
is composed of two divisions
Division (sport)
In sports, a division is a group of teams who compete against each other for a championship.-League system:In sports using a league system , a division consists a group of teams who play a sport at a similar competitive level...
, each with eight member football clubs
Football team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
playing a double round-robin
Round-robin
The term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...
format. Like most football leagues around the world, it adopts the standard point system
Three points for a win
Three points for a win is a standard used in many sports leagues and group tournaments, especially in association football, in which three points are awarded to the team winning a match, with no points to the losing team. If the game is drawn, each team receives one point...
wherein match winners receive three points and losers get none. Each club receives a point, on the other hand, if the match ends in a draw. To avoid the country's rainy season, the tournament is usually played from January to June each year. The league is currently sponsored by LBC Express Inc., and it is officially known as the LBC United Football League.
The league started as semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
tournament in 2009. Since then, it has been described as a thriving football league, organized by former football players and aficionados. At present, it is organized by the Football Alliance, whose long-term goal is the continued development of football in the Philippines through a premiere league.
Since the UFL first started, only one club has been crowned league champions. The current defending champions are Philippine Air Force F.C.
Philippine Air Force F.C.
The Philippine Air Force Football Club is an association football club serving under consisting of officers, enlisted personnel and civilians of the Philippine Air Force...
, who won the title in the 2010–11 season. Global F.C.
Global F.C.
Global Football Club is a Filipino association football club. The team started in Division 2 of the United Football League inaugural season.On that same season, the team managed to finish top of the Second Division with an unbeaten record. As a result, the team was automatically promoted to...
, on the other hand, won the recent UFL Cup
United Football Cup
The United Football Cup or commonly known as UFL Cup is a Filipino association football competition. It is played on a knockout basis . Clubs that are eligible to compete for the cup are those who currently plays on the United Football League Division 1 and Division 2...
.
Origins and foundation
In September 2009, with the aim of reviving the interest of FilipinosFilipinos
Filipinos is the brand name for a series of biscuit snacks made by Kraft Foods. In Spain and Portugal they are produced and sold under the Artiach brand name. Under license to United Biscuits, in the Netherlands they are sold and produced locally under the Verkade brand...
in the sport, the Football Alliance discussed with United Football Clubs Association president Christopher Hagedorn the possibility of creating a football league in the Philippines. At the time, the Filipino Premier League
Filipino Premier League
The Filipino Premier League was the top level football league of the Philippines, operating under the country's football governing body, the Philippine Football Federation. The league was announced on August 2, 2008 and started on September 21, 2008...
, the country's top level football league governed by the Philippine Football Federation
Philippine Football Federation
The Philippine Football Federation is the governing body of football in the Philippines. It was founded in 1907 as the Philippine Amateur Football Association . They were one of the 12 Asian associations that founded the Asian Football Confederation...
, has already been discontinued after its inaugural season. Instead of creating a whole system and competition, the United Football Clubs Association agreed to partner with the Football Alliance in operating the United Football League, which was then a semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
league.
After air cargo delivery service company LBC Express Inc. committed as the league's principal sponsor
Sponsor
To sponsor something is to support an event, activity, person, or organization financially or through the provision of products or services. A sponsor is the individual or group that provides the support, similar to a benefactor.-Definition:...
in October 2009, the United Football League kicked off as a premiere league composed of several football team
Football team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
s around the nation.
| Season | Champions |
|---|---|
| 2009–10 2009–10 United Football League (Philippines) The 2009-100 United Football League is the first season of the United Football League. After the success of UFL Cup, the clubs that would comprise the Division 1 and Division 2 is set... |
Philippine Air Force Philippine Air Force F.C. The Philippine Air Force Football Club is an association football club serving under consisting of officers, enlisted personnel and civilians of the Philippine Air Force... |
| 2010–11 | Philippine Air Force |
| 2010–11 2011–12 United Football League (Philippines) The 2011–12 United Football League is the third season of the UFL since its establishment as a semi-professional league in 2009. It is the second tournament of the season following the 2011–12 United Football Cup.... |
Corporate backing
The first season of the UFL was made possible with the aid of several local companies including LBC Express Inc., Magma Inflatables, 2GO, Mutual Fund Management Corp., ATR Kim Eng, and Orient Freight.Founding members
The inaugural year of the league was held in 2009–102009–10 United Football League (Philippines)
The 2009-100 United Football League is the first season of the United Football League. After the success of UFL Cup, the clubs that would comprise the Division 1 and Division 2 is set...
, and was originally composed of 16 local clubs. The 16 founding teams of the league were Philippine Air Force
Philippine Air Force F.C.
The Philippine Air Force Football Club is an association football club serving under consisting of officers, enlisted personnel and civilians of the Philippine Air Force...
, Kaya FC
Kaya F.C.
Kaya Futbol Club is a Filipino association football club. They are currently playing in the First Division of the United Football League, the country's semi-professional football league....
, Union Manila, Loyola FC, Philippine Army
Philippine Army F.C.
The Philippine Army Football Club is an association football club based in the Philippines. It was founded in 1960 through the effort of the Philippine Army Special Services Unit. A unit that promotes sports and physical fitness within the Army, under the direction of the Commanding General...
, Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy F.C.
Philippine Navy Football Club is an association football club based in the Philippines under the administration of the Philippine Navy.The club reached the Quarter-Finals of the recently concluded 2010-11 LBC United Football League Cup where the Navy was defeated by eventual Cup Runner-up...
, Green Archers United
Green Archers United F.C.
Green Archers United Futbol Club, also known as Green Archers Orient Freight for sponsorship reasons, is an association football club based in the Philippines. It was founded by football players from De La Salle University which is known as "Green Archers" in the UAAP.The club traces its roots from...
, Mendiola United, Global FC
Global F.C.
Global Football Club is a Filipino association football club. The team started in Division 2 of the United Football League inaugural season.On that same season, the team managed to finish top of the Second Division with an unbeaten record. As a result, the team was automatically promoted to...
, Manila Nomads, Mama Africa FC, United South FC, Sunken Garden United
Sunken Garden United F.C.
Sunken Garden United Football Club is an association football based club in the Philippines. It was founded in 1997 based on the home field of the club, which is called Sunken Garden located inside the University of the Philippines main campus in Diliman, Quezon City, described as a "natural...
, Manila Lions
Manila Lions F.C.
The Manila Lions Football Club is an association football club based in the Philippines.-Current squad:...
, Japan FC, and Diliman.
Expansion year
After the end of 2010–11 United Football League season, AKTVAKTV
AKTV is a sports and lifestyle primetime programming block in the Philippines. Owned and operated by TV5, it occupies the 5:00 to 11:00pm timeslot of IBC; weekend coverage usually begins at 10:00 am. It started since June 5, 2011.-History:...
Network became the new TV partner with the signing of a multi-million peso, 5-year deal with two live matches every week.
Seasons
- 20102009–10 United Football League (Philippines)The 2009-100 United Football League is the first season of the United Football League. After the success of UFL Cup, the clubs that would comprise the Division 1 and Division 2 is set...
- 2011
- 20122011–12 United Football League (Philippines)The 2011–12 United Football League is the third season of the UFL since its establishment as a semi-professional league in 2009. It is the second tournament of the season following the 2011–12 United Football Cup....
Division 1
| Club | Manager | Captain | Kit | Sponsor | 2010–11 position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Global F.C. Global Football Club is a Filipino association football club. The team started in Division 2 of the United Football League inaugural season.On that same season, the team managed to finish top of the Second Division with an unbeaten record. As a result, the team was automatically promoted to... |
 Graeme Mackinnon |
 Japan Yu HoshideYu Hoshide is a Japanese soccer player currently playing for Global F.C. in the United Football League.-Career:Hoshide played for Meiji University, and spent eight years with YKK AP in the third division Japan Football League before coming to the United States in 2008.Hoshide signed for Harrisburg City... |
Smartmatic Smartmatic Smartmatic is a multinational company founded in 2000 that specializes in the design and deployment of complex purpose-specific technology solutions aimed at helping governments to fulfill their commitments toward their citizens.It is organized around three business units: Electronic voting... |
2nd | |
| Green Archers United Green Archers United F.C. Green Archers United Futbol Club, also known as Green Archers Orient Freight for sponsorship reasons, is an association football club based in the Philippines. It was founded by football players from De La Salle University which is known as "Green Archers" in the UAAP.The club traces its roots from... |
 Rodolfo Alicante |
Philippines Patrick Bacobo |
Comadore | Orient Freight | 6th |
| Kaya Kaya F.C. Kaya Futbol Club is a Filipino association football club. They are currently playing in the First Division of the United Football League, the country's semi-professional football league.... |
 Juan Cutillas |
Philippines Aly Borromeo |
Rudy Project | Cignal Digital Cignal Digital TV Cignal Digital TV is a subscription-based Direct-To-Home satellite television service provider in the Philippines. Cignal is owned by MediaScape, a wholly owned subsidiary of the MediaQuest Holdings, Inc... |
4th |
| Loyola Meralco Sparks Loyola Meralco Sparks F.C. The Loyola Meralco Sparks Futbol Club, previously known as the Loyola Agila Futbol Club, is a football club based in Quezon City, Philippines. They are currently playing in the First Division of the United Football League, the country's semi-professional football league.-Current squad:... |
 Kim Seung-heeKim Seung-hee Kim Seung-hee , is a South Korean football coach currently in charge of United Football League side Loyola Meralco Sparks in Philippines.... |
Philippines Patrick Ozaeta |
Meralco Meralco The Manila Electric Company , also known as MERALCO or Meralco, is the Philippines' largest distributor of electrical power.The word MERALCO, is an acronym for Manila Electric Railroad And Light COmpany, which was the company's original name from 1903 to 1919.MERALCO is the Metro Manila's only... |
5th | |
| Philippine Air Force Philippine Air Force F.C. The Philippine Air Force Football Club is an association football club serving under consisting of officers, enlisted personnel and civilians of the Philippine Air Force... |
Edzel Bracamonte |
Philippines Yanti Barsales |
1st | ||
| Philippine Army Philippine Army F.C. The Philippine Army Football Club is an association football club based in the Philippines. It was founded in 1960 through the effort of the Philippine Army Special Services Unit. A unit that promotes sports and physical fitness within the Army, under the direction of the Commanding General... |
Patricio Bumidang, Jr. |
Philippines Roel Gener |
Fritz & Macziol IBM | 3rd | |
| Philippine Navy Philippine Navy F.C. Philippine Navy Football Club is an association football club based in the Philippines under the administration of the Philippine Navy.The club reached the Quarter-Finals of the recently concluded 2010-11 LBC United Football League Cup where the Navy was defeated by eventual Cup Runner-up... |
Custodio Parcon |
7th |
Division 2
| Club | Manager | Captain | Kit | Sponsor | 2010–11 position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins United Dolphins United F.C. Dolphins United Football Club is an association football club based in the Philippines.-Current squad:... |
Greg Calawod |
4th | |||
| Manila All-Japan | Ryo Kono |
8th | |||
| Manila Lions Manila Lions F.C. The Manila Lions Football Club is an association football club based in the Philippines.-Current squad:... |
Casper Ngo |
6th | |||
| Manila Nomads |  Michael Denison |
 Netherlands Randy Musters |
Comadore | 1st | |
| Pasargad |  Fardin Faghih |
Iran Ahmid Seifi |
3rd | ||
| Stallions Stallions F.C. Stallion F.C., is a Filipino association football club based in the Philippines. The club are composed of mainly former national player and Korean students from Central Philippine University... |
Ruben Doctora |
Philippines Eduardo Robles |
Comadore | 2nd | |
| Sunken Garden United Sunken Garden United F.C. Sunken Garden United Football Club is an association football based club in the Philippines. It was founded in 1997 based on the home field of the club, which is called Sunken Garden located inside the University of the Philippines main campus in Diliman, Quezon City, described as a "natural... |
Giovanni Tolentino |
7th | |||
| Union Internacional Manila | 5th |
Venues
Primary venues used in the United Football League:| Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
Taguig | Makati | Muntinlupa | Parañaque |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rizal Memorial Stadium | ASCOM Football Field | University of Makati Stadium | Alabang Country Club | Nomads Sports Club |
| Capacity: 12,873 | Capacity: 1,000 | Capacity: 4,000 | Capacity: N/A | Capacity: 3,000 |
External links
- United Football League Philippines at Facebook.com