MANILA — The upcoming Philippines Football League (PFL) season was dealt an early blow as Green Archers United (GAU) announced on Thursday that it will not join this year’s tournament.
“After consultation with our sponsors and careful assessment of the values of our club, we have come to a decision to defer our participation in this year’s PFL competition,” the Lipa-based club said in a statement.
After ruling the 2018 Weekend Futbol League Elite Division, GAU made a return to top-flight club football when it signed up for the supposed inaugural Philippine Premier League season.
But when the Philippine Premier League (PPL) had a quick fallout after just one night of action, the Philippines Football League absorbed GAU, together with Mendiola and Air Force, to its fold just for the season to push through.
GAU, however, claimed that the PFL assured the club that the media mileage that was supposed to take place in the PPL will be absorbed into the PFL.
“We were hopeful that the media coverage promised in the 2019 PPL/PFL season would materialize. Unfortunately, this did not happen and has put in question the viability and sustainability of fielding a team and participating this year,” the statement continued.
The development means the PFL, which now has a new major sponsor in Qatar Airways, will likely have only six clubs for this season barring future expansions and differences.
Still, GAU said that will continue with its other projects in line for this year.
“Green Archers United will continue the various other football projects & programs which we have built over the past 10 years in cooperation with our sponsors – Globe Football Para Sa Bayan, our outreach in Muntinlupa FC football school, the GAU Youth program, support for the WFL, participation in the YFL, as well as some new initiatives we have in mind that will have greater impact to the development of Philippine Football. We commit to continue to use football to do good and help others in our community,” the statement read. (PNA)
