Aspect of Football in the Philippines

Over the years, many Filipinos athletes have given their share of triumph when it comes to sports. These sport heroes have captivated the eyes of the masses with their undeniable athletic skills. Sweat, hard work, passion and glory are shared in basketball, volleyball and other pinoy sport favorites.

Football is a game that Filipinos had embraced back early in the 20th century. It was first introduced by the British men who came from Hong Kong in the 1900’s. After several years, football teams emerged in the Philippines and in some other parts of Asia. The British impact paved the way for the forming of the first national football team of the Philippines, courtesy of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). PFF is the ground works that jumpstarted the progress of the sport in the local grounds. It was established in Bacolod in 1907 and was formerly known as the Philippine Amateur Football Association (PAFA). Additional, it was one of the 12 associations that founded the Asian Football Confederation. During the early years of the Philippines national team, they played their home matches at the Manila Carnival Grounds. By 1934 it became the site of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. One of the facilities within the complex is the 30,000 capacity national stadium, known as the Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium or simply the Rizal Memorial Stadium. Since its opening, it has been the home venue of the Philippines national team. However, it has also become a hub for athletics. The continued use for athletics along with poor maintenance has deteriorated the stadium and the 1991 Southeast Asian Games was the last time it was used for international football matches. In early 2009, the Philippine Sports Commission planned to transform it to a modern football stadium which would make it usable by the national team for international matches.

It is also the organization that helps hone the skills of the Philippines Football team. Football’s narrow extend in...