The Philippines Football League (PFL) will kick off its bubble season on Sunday, October 25, at the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) National Training Center in Carmona, where Maharlika Manila FC and United City FC will see action in the league for the first time. 

The two squads will square off at 8 pm after the 9 am game between Mendiola FC and the Azkals Development Team (ADT), and the 4:30 pm match of Stallion Laguna FC and runner-up Kaya-Iloilo FC.

Three-time PFL champion Ceres-Negros FC renamed to United City FC as new investors took over Southeast Asia’s top football club, while Maharlika is composed of former Azkals led by Anton del Rosario. 

The blockbuster matchup will feature Philippine football stars like United City captain Stephan Schrock and former Azkals Misagh Bahadoran, Jerry Barbaso, and David Basa of Maharlika. 

The 4th PFL season was supposed to kick off on Saturday, October 24, but the players requested to rearrange the schedule of the fixtures due to fitness and injury concerns. 

The country’s top-flight football league eventually shortened it to a five-day single round-robin eliminations schedule. 

“The teams met last Sunday, October 11, [to discuss] key factors like player fatigue and physical fitness, given that in 7 months there was no football at all. We reduced the number of matches to avoid career-ending and long-term injuries,” said PFL commissioner Coco Torre. 

According to PFF secretary-general Edwin Gastanes, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) did not require professional football leagues to meet the quota of 27 league matches due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Because of the pandemic, both FIFA and AFC have authorized the leagues to cut short the league duration and we have been told that we have been free to do that without violating AFC rules,” explained Gastanes.

Torre also shared that the players and coaches will follow a rigid schedule in observance of health protocols starting Friday, October 16, when the teams will undergo their first swab test. 

The bubble participants are set to enter Seda Hotel Nuvali in Sta Rosa, Laguna on October 21 and will be given a second swab test. 

The earliest the teams can train is on October 22, given that the results turn out negative. 

According to Torre, those who test positive for COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter the bubble at any point of the season as the tournament will only run for a maximum of 17 days. 

Torre also emphasized that players who will not observe health and safety protocols in the bubble will be kicked out and be referred to the PFF disciplinary committee. The matches will be livestreamed on the PFL Facebook page. – Rappler.com