UNITED CITY FC TO OFFICIALLY REPRESENT CENTRAL LUZON FIRST UCFC HOME MATCHES HOSTED IN OCTOBER IN NEW CLARK CITY

CAPAS, TARLAC. Philippines Football League (PFL) defending national champion United City Football Club (UCFC) is set to start hosting its official home matches during the ongoing 2022/23 PFL season at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium from October onwards, bringing excitement and live matches to football fans in Central Luzon.

The UCFC home-premier will be against the Azkals Development Team (ADT) led by former Azkals Captain Stephan Schroeck, on October 22 at 4:00pm at the world-class facility at New Clark City, making it the first professional football game to be held at the venue since it was built in 2019. This will be followed by UCFC hosting Stallion Laguna FC on November 5, with ticket sales for both matches going live this week

Through these matches, UCFC demonstrates its commitment to represent Region III and to raise Central Luzon’s banner on the national football scene. 

“To represent Central Luzon and bring football to the local community is a major step in the development of professional football in the country. Football is all about belonging, therefore our matches need to be played within the community we are representing, which is now Clark in Central Luzon,” stated UCFC President Eric M. Gottschalk in the presence of Philippines Football Federation General Secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes and Central Luzon Football Association President Alvin Yalung, during the signing of the MOU to seal the representation.  “We are proud to have access to the best sports venue in the Philippines when we host our home matches and we look forward to building our community and have our fans attending live matches at this beautiful stadium”. 

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Aileen R. Zosa gave her warm welcome to UCFC, and extended BCDA’s commitment to give the best football experience to the teams playing in New Clark City and their fans. 

“World-class sports facilities, safe environment, and stunning views–New Clark City can offer all of these and more. We are excited that UCFC chose New Clark City Athletics Stadium as the venue for its matches, and we hope to bring pride to players who will be coming to play here,” Zosa said.

UCFC (previously known as Ceres Negros) joined the PFL as one of the founding teams of the professional league in 2017 and has since bagged the national championships four times (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) as well as the Copa Paulino Alcantara 2 times. 

This ongoing PFL Season, which will run until May 2023, UCFC is competing in a quadruple round robin format against six other Club, with the winner to qualify for the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League Group Stage in August next year. Coming off strong performances against main rival Kaya Iloilo FC, UCFC is the favorite to retain its league title this season. During the December - January winter break, UCFC will start setting-up its Clark based youth academy with different activities also scheduled to take place around the football stadium, before UCFC will kick-off regular team appearances in early 2023 with at least 6 more PFL home games scheduled at NCC.  

Certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the New Clark City Athletics Stadium has a 20,000-seating capacity with a nine-lane 400-meter track and field, and another four-lane warm-up track surrounding a natural grass pitch, suitable to host local, national and international football competitions to the highest PFF, AFC ad FIFA standards.  

The complex was nominated as among the world’s best stadiums in the Stadium of the Year Awards in 2020. The following year, the facility received the Highly Commended recognition from the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in the Completed Buildings - Sport Category, and was also shortlisted for the Engineering Prize of the same competition.

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About UCFC:

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ABOUT UCFC: United City Football Club (UCFC) is a SEC registered Filipino professional football club company that aims to promote and build values such as equality, diversity, leadership through sports. 

UCFC is a member of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the Philippines' professional level of men's club football in the country and the official representative of the Central Luzon football association. UCFC, formerly known as Ceres-Negros before it changed its name in 2020, is currently the 4x defending national champion in the PFL and 2x winner of the Copa Paulino Alcantara. UCFC is also the 2x Philippines representative on the AFC Champions League group stage level (2021,2022), the biggest Asian football tournament.   

As a mission, the Club stands to help re-invigorate young athletes, families, and the local community through discipline, hard work, and passion. The ambition is further set the gold standard for best practices in SE Asia - be it on the football field, or within the community - and to provide a pathway and equal opportunities for the next generation of young talent in their pursuit of sporting & educational excellence.

UCFC is the most followed professional football club in the Philippines and the only club active on all major social media platforms. Its winning tradition and the ability to bring the best Filipino players to play for UCFC has gained the Club the reputation of being the foremost football club form the Philippines with strong reach into South East Asia and beyond

The Club recently announced its move to Central Luzon to start playing its home matches of the PFL at the world class facilities in New Clark City. 

Further, UCFC  has launched a dedicated 3rd playing kit to mark its move to New Clark City which will feature the orange colors of the Athletics stadium as well as permanent New Clark City branding on the right sleeve. The traditional home and away jerseys in black and gold are currently featuring the symbols of the Clark balloon festival. 

Future plans by UCFC evolve around setting-up the Clubs youth football academy and to build its own football-specific stadium

UCFC Logo meaning: 

The UCFC logo was chosen through a public fan voting and designed by Gerard Andaya of Grit Sports. The new UCFC logo features a circular crest not too different from its original identity of  to acknowledge the roots of the club in Bacolod.  With two (2) stars which pay tribute to the origins of the “Ceres–LaSalle” & “Ceres–Negros” heritage. The center of the logo is “Geometric patterned football” to represent that football is at the center of the club’s existence. The symmetry of the ball stands for “Unity & Stability. And the solid outer circle on the other hand symbolizes the solid fans, being the club’s foundation that holds everything together.  

Upcoming matches at New Clark City: 22 October vs ADT at 4:00pm & 5 November vs Stallion Laguna t 4:00pm; Ticket prices: Pesos: 200.00 grandstand; P150.00 Bleachers; Corporate hospitality and advertising opportunities, kindly inquire through the media officer.

Current UCFC Club Partners:

Allianz, New Clark City Chronos Athletics, Mysport, Klean Athlete, Sportskred

UNITED CITY FC ANNOUNCES FIRST BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP - GRAVITY SPORT ADDS UCFC TO ITS GROWING SPONSORSHIP PORTFOLIO

4 November 2021 - Manila, Philippines:

United City Football Club (UCFC) announces Gravity Sport as its official blockchain partner in another landmark sponsorship deal for an Asian football club.

UCFC becomes the first Asian football club entering into a fully executed commercial & technology partnership with Gravity Sport. This consumer-focused universal blockchain solution enables sports teams to build & monetize content, data security, and entertainment in a custom-built digital asset ecosystem. Gravity Sport has previously signed a partnership with Italian side Parma Calcio.

With the rise of blockchain, NFTs, and metaverse in the country, UCFC is positive that this partnership will pave the future of football and how fans will have ownership of the club's collectibles and put a new meaning to tokenization.

"We are proud to have reached another milestone in our vision of how we think Club football not only in the Philippines shall evolve over time, and we would like to thank Gravity Sport for its vision to see the potential in partnering with UCFC as well as Orchid Sport & Entertainment, which helped us to complete the deal." States Eric M. Gottschalk, President of UCFC.

"We will be the first regional football club to integrate blockchain into its operations from merchandise, membership, data analysis & security. Therefore, it allows our fans to get closer to the players through our dedicated fan tokens and exclusive NFTs, which will be launched ahead of the 2022 season".

Through the Gravity Sport blockchain technology and NFT marketplace, United City will be able to create innovative fan-owned assets such as exclusive digital player cards, including interviews, match highlights, and goals scored. Such assets can be obtained using the unique UCFC fan tokens and can be traded among fans.
"The partnership with Gravity Sport and the use of blockchain technology will allow UCFC to make another step forward in unlocking new revenue streams and to become a sustainable football business that does not rely purely on match-day revenues or sponsorship income alone," states Gottschalk.

Also, it will connect to new global audiences with mass adoption, delivering next-generation adoption & future-proofing engagement.

As a digital economy enabler, Gravity Sport commercializes, hosts & operates the complete platform in partnership with the rights holder.

"Gravity Sport is tremendously proud to add United City FC to its growing portfolio of international sports properties, following our jersey partnership with Parma Calcio in August, "commented Stuart Gallacher, Founder at Gravity Sport.

"The Philippines is a very interesting market for us as the country is poised to reach new economic heights in the near future while its young, tech-savvy population is naturally equipped to easily grow into the new area of "blockchain technology".

"And just like us, UCFC is fast evolving, has a clear, futuristic vision while displaying strong values which assures that our ambitions are closely aligned. We are excited to innovate jointly with UCFC as we believe we have an incredibly exciting global blockchain NFT marketplace which will benefit all stakeholders, players, media, and of course the strong fan audiences that UCFC already has."

The Gravity Sport partnership is extended across all the UCFC football and esports properties, and while effective immediately, it will fully kick off early next year alongside the 2022 season.

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ABOUT UCFC: United City Football Club (UCFC) is a SEC registered Filipino Professional Football Club that aims to promote and build values such as equality, diversity, leadership through sports.

UCFC is a member of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the Philippines' professional level of men's club football in the country. The Club is currently the 4x defending national champion in the PFL and the first Philippine team to qualify and to win a match on the AFC Champions League level when the team featured against Beijing FC during the AFC Champions League Group stages in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

As a mission, the Club stands to help re-invigorate young athletes, families, and the local community through discipline, hard work, and passion. The ambition is to be the best of the best in Asia - be it on the football field, esports, or within the community - and provide a pathway and equal opportunities for the next generation of young talent in their pursuit of sporting & educational excellence.

The Club recently announced its move to the Pampanga / Tarlac region, where it plans to set up its youth football academy in Clark City and to and build its football stadium while making use of the already existing stadium facilities in New Clark City in the meantime.

As part of the move, United City FC will be renamed to United Clark FC by the end of 2021, while its Esports division will simply be called UCFC Esports.

The UCFC Esports division was successfully launched in June 2021 and currently features three professional teams participating in titles such as Valorant, League of Legends: Wild Rift as well as E-football (PES / FIFA), with more teams such as "Mobile Legends" etc. to be added in 2022.

Kids from Marawi, Metro streets and Batangas lakeshore towns benefit from YKK-Real Madrid Foundation football clinics

The two-day YKK Asia Group Kids Football Clinic came to a close last Sunday with 300 underprivileged kids getting the rare opportunity to learn football the Real Madrid way at the McKinley Hill Stadium in Taguig City.

Two kids from previously war-torn Marawi City were among those who experienced the world-class football training from coaches of the most multi-titled La Liga team in history with 33 Championship titles to its name. Children from Gawad Kalinga communities were first to undergo the clinics on Saturday, followed by children from lakeshore communities in Batangas on Sunday morning. Homeless children who live and sleep on streets and places like Luneta and the Caloocan Monumento who were cared for by Child Hope Asia Philippines had their own exhilarating football experience in the afternoon.

Mohammed Faried Anganto and Alintor Bangote were brought by their coach, Espiridion Paran under the auspices of Gawad Kalinga. “Football was one way for the kids to cope and transcend the experience of the past,” said their coach. “It was special for them to experience the YKK Football Clinic conducted by Real Madrid coaches because they learned new skills and trained with professional football gear. They’re used to playing with makeshift equipment, using tennis balls and playing barefoot,” he added.

Agustin Villarama, AVP for Marketing, YKK Philippines was elated about the outcome of the clinics, the second time that YKK Asia Holdings PTE LTD and YKK Philippines have brought the Real Madrid Foundation coaches to the Philippines to teach football to underprivileged kids.   

"After two days of clinics, we are happy to see that the kids are happy. We can see that these camps will produce positive effects for them in the future. Sports is a good tool to give a chance for these less fortunate kids," said Villarama.

Real Madrid Foundation coaches Pablo Gomez Revenga, Santiago Sanchez Martin and Hector Vicente were assisted by 30 local coaches who shared and demonstrated world-class training methodologies and training techniques throughout the sessions.

The Real Madrid Foundation coaches also promoted values through sports and education, teaching the kids about commitment, responsibility and teamwork, all while having fun.

"The coaches were very passionate about the country and about the kids that they taught football to. They also enjoyed themselves throughout. That’s how much they love football,” Villarama added.

All participants in the kids clinic received a full set of YKK/Real Madrid Foundation football kits, which include football boots, cap and socks. Everyone received a certificate at the end of the session. The Most Valuable Participants in the morning and afternoon sessions received Real Madrid t-shirts and bags.

YKK Brings Back Real Madrid Coaches to Teach Football to Filipino Kids, Coaches

L-R: Agustin Villarama, AVP for Marketing, YKK Philippines; Alson Ng, Regional Marketing Manager, YKK Holdings Asia PTE LTD, RFM Coach Pablo Revenga,  Tadashi Koshio, President, YKK Philippines, Inc.; Atty. Edwin B. Gastanes, Gen. Sec. Philippines Football Federation; RFM Coaches Hector Vicente and Santiago Sanchez Martin.

MULTI-TITLED Spanish football club Real Madrid together with YKK Holding Asia PTE. Ltd. (YHA) and YKK Philippines, Inc. pays it forward to young Filipino football players as the YKK Asia Group Kids Football Clinic kicks off today at the McKinley Hill Stadium.

Real Madrid Foundation coaches Pablo Gomez Revenga, Santiago Sanchez Martin and Hector Vicente trained 30 local football coaches immediately after the Press Conference held at Shangri-La at the Fort on June 22 to prepare for a two-day clinic for kids aged 8-15 on June 23 and 24. The Real Madrid coaches from the most multi-titled La Liga team in history with 33 Championship titles to its name, shared and demonstrated world-class training methodologies and training techniques to the local coaches, who will in turn assist the Spanish coaches in the Saturday and Sunday kids clinics.

300 underprivileged children from three NGOs – Child Hope Asia, Gawad Kalinga and a community in Batangas -- will learn football over two days of fun and interactive training sessions from the three RMF coaches who will also share footballing tips, techniques and basic fundamentals with the young athletes. The clinics have morning (8:30 a.m.) and afternoon (1:30 p.m.) sessions at the McKinley Hill Stadium.

The YKK football clinic was first held in the Philippines in 2012, and this second installment once again gives more local kids and coaches an avenue to experience world-class football from the international coaches.

"Our objective is to give the underprivileged the chance to be part of this football clinic. YKK's presence in the Philippines dates back since 1978, and our growth and success during these 40 years owes a great deal to the local society which our customers and employees also form part of. It is a great opportunity and pleasure for us to give back and help create the initial spark of encouragement for children who do not normally experience big name events due to its exclusivity. This time, it’s their turn to experience greatness," said President of YKK Philippines, Inc., Mr Tadashi Koshio.

The clinics draw on YKK’s corporate philosophy of the “Cycle of Goodness”, which states that “No one prospers without rendering benefit to others,” said Mr. Kosuke Miimi, YHA President. “AKFC is an integral program that not only values children, but the community as well. This event gives opportunities to those who normally have lesser chances at sports and brings the community together to celebrate the love of football. We believe that football is a common language that everyone can enjoy regardless of culture, nationality or religion.”

"We hope this clinic will develop more players and inspire other players," said Philippine Football Federation General Secretary Ed Gastanes during yesterday's press conference at the Shangri-La at the Fort in Taguig City. “We are always pleased that the Real Madrid Foundation is bringing their style of play and style of coaching here. We are happy that YKK Asia Group and YKK Philippines have partnered with Real Madrid Foundation for another meaningful and significant clinic," he added.

"Watching local coaches and children engage and participate in a sport which knows no language or social barriers is the ultimate reward," added Revenga, who is Real Madrid Foundation's technical management clinics and international technical schools director.

Each participant in the clinic receives a full set of YKK/Real Madrid Foundation football jersey kit which includes football boots, a cap, socks, and a certificate of participation. Other sporting equipment such as footballs, sports bibs and training cones will also be provided by YKK over the three-day event. Furthermore, YKK will donate all footballs and training equipment after the event to the invited NGO.

‘BUSINESS OF FOOTBALL - PHILIPPINES’ CONFERENCE SETS ROADMAP FOR GROWTH OF THE SPORT IN THE COUNTRY

The recent success of The Azkals, with their Asian Cup qualification, and their FIFA ranking at its highest at 111, has given football a renewed confidence, and a positive outlook in terms of the growth of the sport in the Philippines.

Football is now tipped to become the fastest growing sport in the country, with the largest potential for success commercially, and in terms of on-pitch success.  The sport which is currently number 3 in the Philippines in terms of popularity and participation, after basketball and boxing, is said to be still further behind compared to other sports, such as volleyball, billiards, etc., in terms of TV coverage.

These were among the insights and trends gathered from top-notch executives of organizations such as AFC, PFF, PFL, LaLiga, Dentsu X, SMG Insight, Globe Telecom, RSportz, Toby Sports and Manila Times, at the ‘Business of Football - Philippines’, organized by MMC Sportz.  The sold-out event was attended by more than 185 local and foreign delegates on 18 May 2018 at the New World Makati Hotel.

MMC Sports CEO Eric Gottschalk says, “Research in this market, shows that TV is still the number one platform here in the Philippines, and is the number one medium that advertisers are looking for, to spend their budgets on.  We also learned that live TV coverage actually stimulates stadium attendance, and not vice versa.  If there’s more football on TV, we will see more fans in the stadium.  Currently football is not ranked among the top 100 TV programmers in the Philippines and is only number 3 sport in terms of participation and popularity after basketball and boxing.  Football needs media in order to drive commercial revenues for the clubs.”

“Now is also the perfect time to get involved in football since sponsorship and advertising opportunities are currently very affordable compared for example to basketball, but this is predicted to change within the next 6-12 months, as values are expected to increase sharply.  Football also needs to create more idols and heroes to attract more media coverage overall, other than just covering game scores. Each team has a unique story which just needs to be told,” says Gottschalk.

Following the presentation about the Philippines Football League (PFL) it was agreed that the PFL now fills the lack of regular created football content as the leagues matches (87 in 2018/19 season) contribute year-round stories to keep football in the news. In the past, the main talking points were around the Azkals which only play very few home matches each year.

Public education about the game of football is also needed on all levels as many people in the Philippines are still not aware about the rules or aware of programs available like coaching academies, amateur competitions, or how and where to follow the professional league.  Ten thousand (10,000) qualified grassroots coaches are also needed to satisfy the local demand and to trigger strong football development and growths.

Investors on the other hand are looking for consistency and credibility of the football product but with the PFL in the second season and foreign sponsors expected to invest in the Philippines, local brands should consider to follow suit.

On the sports retail side, only 1.5% of current retail sales are attributed to football, while basketball enjoys a healthy 46% market share. As a result, only limited line items and stocks are available in stores and entry level boots and replica jerseys are too high priced to be affordable for the average consumer.

The national player registration program, MY PFF, has been launched with the objective to collect vital statistics and data about the football community which is urgently needed to support the youth football development strategy of the PFF and to develop a players pathway.  As FIFA has mandated to register the estimated 1.5 million players in the Philippines, the PFF has urged organizers and players to already register online as by next month only registered players will be allowed to participate in sanctioned events.

The “Business of Football – Philippines” conference also announced 36 career opportunities related to sports and football, including positions in marketing, legal, competition management and coaching, with all these listing being available online with MMC Sportz or for direct inquiries with the PFF.

In his closing remarks, MMC Sportz CEO Eric M. Gottschalk stated that “More importantly, Don’t Break the 12th Man! It is important that all stakeholders don’t forget to engage with the fans. The fans are the most important aspect of the development of football in the Philippines – if there are no fans of football then there is no media, no spectators, no players, no games, no business. Everyone is required to ensure we keep the fans (football consumers) engaged year-long and the first step would be to get the media behind the game. There is a strong football - community out there already and hopefully, we the TV broadcasters will take another look at football and give them at least some consideration on the program schedule.

I believe today’s conference was a great success.  We brought the football community together, stimulated thinking, exchanged ideas and transferred a lot of knowledge. Now it is up to the football stakeholders to continue the progress.

From our end (and with the approval of the PFF) we will stage the 2nd edition of BOF early 2019 and hopefully we will be able to report on some of the changes initiated today.”

Speakers who shared their insights include LaLiga Managing Director for South East Asia, Japan, Korean and Australia Ivan Codina, AFC Head of MA Services Domeka Garamendi, SMG Insight Managing Director Frank Saez, Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami, Globe Director for OIC, Citizenship and Advocacy Marketing Miguel Bermundo, PFL CEO Lazarus Xavier, PFF General Secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes, Ignite Sports Group Managing Director Michael Reyes,  Asian Replica Designs Founder & Owner Jonathan Mallinson, Quorum Group President & COO Jose Claudio, Jr., Mediapro Asia Director of Sales and Sponsorship Salauddin Sinnakandu, and MMC Sportz Marketing CEO Eric Gottschalk.

Organized by MMC Sportz Asia, the event was sanctioned by the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) and the Philippines Football Federation (PFF), and sponsored by La Liga, Dentsu X, SMG Insight, RSportz, Globe Telecom, Toby’s Sports, Manila Times and Platinumlist.

Philippines: The Road to World Cup 2026

Manila, Philippines—- On April 2, 2018 at Cafe Lupe, Antipolo, Coach Thomas Dooley met the media  and discussed the preparations for the much awaited World Cup 2026 and organised by the Teen Azkals Foundation Incorporated in cooperation with Tag Media and Public Relations headed by Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas.

The 23rd tournament is still almost a decade away, but plans are already in place for the first ever 48-country global competition with still no specific location or country yet mentioned under the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) which is the international governing body of association football, futsal, and beach soccer.

The decision on which country or countries will host the 2026 World Cup will be announced by FIFA in May 2020.

Coach Thomas Dooley together with Coach Chito Ferrer Manuel (Teen Azkals Foundation Camp Director) discussed and explained the importance of early preparations especially on how to select the Teen Azkals who will, in the future, join this prestigious competition.

According to Mr. Alvin Carranza, the President of Teen Azkals Foundation Inc , “Sports made the Filipinos United but the determination of the athletes must be in full focus as it’s not about the individual strength or not about the coach but all about the whole team. We are looking forward for the new recruits as the Azkals today will retire soon in preparation for the World Cup 2026. We need the new Teen Azkals.”

To know more about the event or to support, please contact 09778978877, 09954560892, or 09189414522. Check also www.facebook.com/teenazkals

*This is Press Release

Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami Calls for Support for Crucial Asian Cup Qualifier Match

Philippine Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami calls for support for the upcoming matches of the national team, taking place on March 22 and March 27, 2018, to be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Azkals will see action on March 22 against Fiji, for an International Friendly Match, which will serve as a tune-up game for the crucial AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifier match on March 27, 2018.

Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami says, “This is an important match for the country, and the cards are not exactly stacked against us.  We are currently  on top of the table of Group F with 9 points.  We win or we draw, we will move forward and the country will be part of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time.” 

Palami continues, “We want the ‘12th man’ to be there in both the tune-up game and the Asian Cup qualifier match.  This sport deserves all the support it can get, as we have already gone far, since 2010, when I took over as Team Manager of Azkals.”


“We should also be proud of our national team players who are doing well internationally in their various clubs.  Such as Neil Etheridge, currently with Cardiff City, and all other previous PFL club players, who are doing well and are now playing for neighbouring Asian countries, such as Ian Ramsay, who is currently with Felda United and Misagh Bahadoran, who is with Perak FA…And maybe this is the only way that the country or the youth can see, that aspiring for an international football career is not that impossible”, says Palami.


Tajikistan is currently ranked 124th, while the Philippines is currently ranked 122nd, in its latest rankings by FIFA, while Fiji is currently ranked 168th.


Tickets for both the Azkals vs. Fiji match, and the Azkals vs. Tajikistan match are available at www.smtickets.com.




*This is Press Release

Davao Aguilas FC Stays on Point and Goes for a Win Against Kaya FC

Away team Davao Aguilas FC stayed focused and on point evening’s match against Kaya FC Makati, held in Makati City, as they went for a 1-3 win, in their favor.

Angel Guirado was the first one who went for the goal on the 26th minute, with a very good assist from Enzo Cheng.  An equalizer however took place on the 58th minute from Kaya FC Makati’s Alfred Osei. But Davao Aguilas went all out again and gained two more goals, courtesy of Australian Harrison Sawyer on the 65th minute, and Angel Guirado once more on the 74th minute.

Head Coach Marlon Maro says, “Happy and satisfied and I think it is because the players really wanted to win tonight.  The delivery and the process made us score a lot of goals tonight, and also the players responded well to each other.”

Angel Guirado, who was named Man of the Match says, “For me the team is more important because, the team worked good tonight.  I’m happy because I scored, but more importantly, the team has 3 points more and I’m also looking forward to our next season.  This boosts the confidence of the team.”

Davao Aguilas FC’s next matches will be on November 21 against JPV Marikina at 7p.m. and on November 25 at 4pm, to be held at Rizal Memorial Stadium (RMS), against JPV Marikina as well.


For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/DAFCofficial. 

*This is Press Release

Five Davao Aguilas FC Players get called up for Philippine Squad on AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers Match Vs. Yemen

This will be the second time that Azkals and Yemen will face each other for the qualifiers.  Their last encounter ended in a 2-2 draw last September 5, 2017, at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, which saw top Davao Aguilas FC players Phil and James Younghusband contributing 1 goal each, for the Philippine side.

The five (5) Davao Aguilas players are as follows:


    1.    DE BRUYCKER, Dylan
    2.    O’DONNELL, Nicholas
    3.    ROTA, Simone
    4.      YOUNGHUSBAND, James
    5.    YOUNGHUSBAND, Phil


This is also the second call up for 19-year old Fil-Belgian Dylan De Bruycker, who is also a key player in the U22 Philippine men’s football team.

Head Coach Marlon Maro of Davao Aguilas FC says, “The call up is a confirmation that DAFC players have quality.  As a football club, we are committed to helping Philippine football.  My best wishes to Azkals and to all DAFC players.  Make our country proud!”

For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/DAFCofficial. 

ABOUT DAVAO AGUILAS FC (DAFC):

Davao Aguilas Football Club (DAFC), was established earlier this year as a professional football club, based out of Tagum, Davao del Norte, in Mindanao.  Its mission is to help develop football in Davao and the entire region.
The coaching staff is headed by Marlon Maro, while DAFC’s Chairman is Jefferson Cheng.
The club’s lead sponsor is San Miguel Corporation (SMC).  Other club partners include Tapa King, Roadhouse Cafe, City Mall Davao and PAGGS Lounge.
Expect more from Davao Aguilas FC as they take part in Philippines Football League (PFL) this season!
For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/DAFCofficial.

Football Fundamentals for Adults Program Now Offered at Sparta Football Academy

Whether you are a die-hard football fan who wants to get into the sport, or simply just looking for a new form of exercise, you may be interested in joining the Football Fundamentals for Adults Program at the Sparta Football Academy.

Sparta Football Academy is located inside the 10,000 square-meter Sports and Recreational Training Arena or SPARTA, along Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong City, and is best known for the first and only FIFA certified 1-star indoor football field in the country.

According to SPARTA's owner Amanda Fernandez, "The program was set-up so that adults can experience the beauty of the sport for the first time.  It is also meant to teach the basics of football and expand the football community in the Philippines."

"Expected results for this crash course revolve around having a very good understanding of the basic skills and rules of football, as well an appreciation for the sport", she adds.

The program will be headed by Head Coach Joel Villarino and Assistant Coach Joseph Villarino.

The program will start February 3 and will be held every Wednesday from 2-4 in the afternoon for the entire month.

About SPARTA:

SPARTA is a one-stop sports, lifestyle and wellness center built for the highly competitive athlete.  It strives to become the most influential sports facility in the Philippines through its centralised location, expert trainers and programs developed for those who aim to dominate the competition.

Apart from the Indoor Football Field and the Sparta Calisthenics Academy, users may also try Yoga, Capoiera, Karate, Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, Fluid Tactics and 360Pro.

Sparta is located at 126 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City.

*This is Press Release

BUNDESLIGA 2015/2016 SEASON KICKS OFF ON FOX SPORTS

FOX Sports announced that it will be bolstering its strong lineup of sports events this year with its comprehensive coverage of the Bundesliga games, the primary competition series of the German Football League. The channel has acquired a five-year rights deal with the Deutsche FußballLiga GmbH, the league association responsible for the games, making the 2015/16 season of the Bundesliga games a landmark cable TV first for most Asian countries, including the Philippines.

The Bundesliga boasts of having the highest in-arena attendance with an average per-game headcount of roughly 45,000 spectators per match, providing an electric atmosphere for German football fans. And with the highest average goals scored per match, the level of excitement of each Bundesliga game is unparalleled by its other European football counterparts. The Bundesliga currently features 18 clubs, and each club plays against the 17 other clubs twice (Home & Away), with a total of 306 matches per season. The honor of being the first hailed champions back in 1903 went to the VfB Leipzig, and the current champions FC Bayern München holds the most titles with 25, including the 2014/15 season.

The strength of the Bundesliga lies in its investment in youth player development that is reinforced by scientific training. This endeavor has paid off for Germany in the delivery of a World Cup-winning national team.

Last August 15, FOX Sports Philippines started its LIVE and exclusive coverage of the Bundesliga and will be providing 5 to 6 live matches every week, with ancillary programming comprised of highlights, replays, magazine shows and a dedicated studio team bringing you all the LIVE action from our studios in Singapore.

Watch the Bundesliga 2015/16 Season, LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on FOX Sports! Matches will air every weekend.

VielSpassBeimFussball! Better memorize it! The Bundesliga is here!

FOX Sports is seen on Sky Cable ch. 31, Cignal Digital TV ch 48, Destiny Cable ch 31, Dream Satellite, ch 38, GSat, ch 126, Cable Link ch 56 and over 150 cable operators nationwide. Follow FOX Sports Philippines on Twitter and Instagram @FOXSports_PH and join the conversation with #Bundesliga.


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*Press Release

Pablo Picasso brings “Goooal!: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic” to the Philippines

Yes, strange as it may sound, in the words of Fundación Santiago’s executive director, Chaco Molina, it was no less than the Spanish genius Picasso who made possible the holding in the Philippines of “Goooal!: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic”.

“It’s a long story. Some years back Fundación Santiago brought to the Philippines, for the first time, a collection of works by Pablo Picasso—The Suite Vollard,” according to Molina who went on to elaborate that, “It was a joint undertaking with MAPFRE Foundation who for said occasion came in the company of their partner the Fundación Real Madrid (the CSR arm of Real Madrid CF) who, in turn, was looking for collaborative opportunities in Asia.”

That casual yet fortunate encounter led to more conversations, e-mail exchanges, visits to Manila from Madrid and vice versa—and the final visit last September of Fundación Real Madrid coach Miguel Angel Montoya. He flew in to initiate 18 Filipino coaches on a holistic paradigm on football and inclusive development, the Real Madrid Foundation Social Sports School (Escuela Socio Deportiva).

In order to sustain the operations of the aforementioned Social Sports School, Fundación Real Madrid and Fundación Santiago agreed to further their partnership by hosting in the Philippines a fundraiser, “Goooal!: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic”.

Goooal!, as it is known for short, is a football campus for the lovers of the beautiful game, ages 7 to 18, proceeds of which will go to Fundación Santiago’s Volun2rism Program, primarily the Social Sports School being one of its components.

Fundación Santiago is a Filipino, private, not-for-profit, DSWD accredited organization established in 1993 to help bring about the vision of the compleat Filipino, a person who, through knowing himself, is able to develop his own person and the others around him.

It currently runs two programs; the Community Based Heritage Tourism (CBHT) and Volun2rism (V2M). On the one hand, CHBT isan inclusive, bottom-up approach towards poverty alleviation in a manner that not only promotes but rests on the cultural, historical and environmental wealth of a specific locality. On the other, V2M offers both standard and tailor-fit packages wherein travellers have a unique opportunity to share their time, talent, technology, and treasure with their less fortunate brothers and sisters while experiencing our country’s rich culture and heritage.

“Goooal!” is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Spanish Embassy in Manila, MAPFRE-Insular, Roxas Holdings Inc., Interaksyon, Lifeline and San Carlos Power.

Summer Kicks Off with Goooal!: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic

It’s a fundraising event like no other before by Fundación Santiago in collaboration with the Fundación Real Madrid. It’s “Goooal: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic.”

This two-week football training for the youth and for football coaches will happen in a span of 12 days from April 19 to May 2 in Metro Manila and in Negros Occidental. Goooal! participants will be trained by the best coaches from the Real Madrid C.F. youth team in Spain on individual technique and tactical team training.

In the words of Fundación Santiago executive director, Chaco Molina: “Here’s a case that proves that doing good is More Fun in the Philippines. Indeed a unique opportunity to be of help to those who have less in life while enjoying the practice of your favourite sport, mentored by internationally acclaimed coaches.”

It all started with a novel joint project in Nasugbu, Batangas designed to keep children in school and out of harms-way through the practice of football. Notably, the proceeds from “Goooal!: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic” will go to Fundación Santiago’s Volun2rism Program, particularly the Real Madrid Foundation Social Sports School (Escuelas Socio Deportivas) in Batangas and Negros Occidental.

It will foster inclusive development for under-served children while they pursue their passion for football and enhance their academic performance. The Social Sports School likewise aspires to teach them good values associated with sports and teamwork as well as healthy living.

This summer “Goooal: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic” will hone the football skills of participants, ages 7 to 18 years old, in daily sessions held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila from April 20 to 24 and at the SJR Football Field in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental from April 27 to May 1.

The Coach Clinic is a whole day educational session for football coaches on pre-championship and pre-competition preparation for young players, set for April 19, in Metro Manila and on May 2, in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

“Goooal: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic” is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Spanish Embassy in Manila, MAPFRE-Insular, Roxas Holdings and Lifeline.

For more info, you may contact Cheska Lacson, Resource Mobilization Officer of Fundación Santiago at E: cheska@fundacionsantiago.com | M: +63936 -9677660 | T: 696-2457