MANILA, Philippines — The country’s first ever professional, corporate-sponsored football league kicks off at 2 p.m. Saturday with an opening game featuring top squads Nomads FC against Kaya FC at the Nomad Sports Club in Merville, Parañaque.
National team aces Phil and James Younghusband take to the field for Nomads against a Kaya squad skippered by RP team captain Aly Borromeo in the maiden match of the United Football League LBC Cup.
Sixteen squads, including teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, clubs of expatriates and schools, are seeing action in the three-month-long tournament organized by the Football Alliance and the United Football Club Association.
UFCA president Christopher Hagedorn said the league is expected to address the need for the sport’s development and to draw attention to the sport which he said is very popular across the globe but is often ignored locally.
“All of us here grew up playing some form of football and it is the second most-played sport in the country,” said Hagedorn.
“In due time, the league will train our players to the point where the World Cup isn’t just a game but a goal.”
FA head and former national player Randy Roxas said the intensity of the competition will define the country’s first foray in play-for-pay football.
“The UFL will elevate weekend football to a professional level,” said Roxas. “Finally, the best of the best will be given the right opportunity to develop their talents.”
Javier Montecon of LBC, major backer of the National Capital Region Football Association-sanctioned event, assured everything is in place to make the UFL’s LBC Cup a success.
Source : Inquirer Sports
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