The 2018 Philippines Football League was the second season of the Philippines Football League (PFL), the professional football league of the Philippines. The season started on March 3 and concluded on August 25. The league was contested by six teams from last season's eight, after Meralco Manila and Ilocos United withdrew before the season began.

Ceres–Negros won their second consecutive league title on July 25 with three matches to spare.

Due to several issues with the league—such as the expensive home-and-away format as well as the lack of sponsors and TV coverage—the PFL was abolished after the 2018 season and was replaced by the Philippine Premier League. However, the Philippine Premier League also had numerous issues and was folded after only a single match day. The PFL was then renewed for a third season in 2019.

Changes from 2017 For this season, the league discontinued the play-off final, or the Final Series due to the introduction of the Copa Paulino Alcantara, the domestic cup tournament which was held after the league season. Thus, the PFL became a pure quintuple round-robin tournament where each club played the others five times—each club playing 25 games.

Teams The eight clubs which participated in the inaugural season were granted license to partake in the 2018 season by November 2017. However, on January 8, 2018, FC Meralco Manila ceased operations in the senior club level and on January 18 Ilocos United F.C. announced their withdrawal from the league leaving only 6 teams for the 2018 season.

Stadiums and locations On February 6, 2018, Kaya F.C. transferred from Makati to Iloilo.

TeamLocationStadiumCapacityCeres–NegrosBacolodPanaad Stadium8,000Davao AguilasTagum, Davao del NorteDavao del Norte Sports Complex3,000Global CebuCebu CityCebu City Sports ComplexJPV MarikinaMarikina, Metro ManilaMarikina Sports Complex15,000Kaya–IloiloMakati, Metro ManilaUniversity of Makati Stadium4,000Iloilo CityIloilo Sports Complex7,000Stallion LagunaBiñan, LagunaBiñan Football Stadium2,580 Alternate stadiums The following are alternate home venues for Davao Aguilas, Global Cebu, and JPV Marikina as approved by Liga Futbol, Inc. LocationStadiumCapacity Manila Rizal Memorial Stadium 12,873Biñan, LagunaBiñan Football Stadium2,580Carmona, CavitePFF National Training Centre1,200

Home venues of PFL clubs Note: On February 6, 2018, Kaya F.C. transferred from Makati to Iloilo.

Personnel and kits Team Head coachCaptain Kit manufacturerSponsors Ceres–Negros Risto Vidaković Martin Steuble Adidas Ceres Liner Davao Aguilas Melchor Anzures Phil Younghusband Made by club San Miguel Corporation, Tapa King Global Cebu Dragutin Stević-Ranković Darryl Roberts LGR TrackMate JPV Marikina Dan Padernal Atsushi Shimono LGR JK Mart, BranchForth, Santouka Ramen Kaya FC–Iloilo Noel Marcaida Miguel Tanton LGR LBC, Fitness First Stallion Laguna Ernest Nierras Ruben Doctora Nixáre Giligan's Restaurant

Coaching changes Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming coach Date of appointmentGlobal Cebu Akbar Nawas End of Contract January 11, 2018Pre-season Marjo Allado (interim) January 11, 2018 Davao Aguilas Marlon Maro Resigned May 29, 20183rd Melchor Anzures May 29, 2018Global Cebu Marjo Allado (interim) Resigned August 4, 20186th Dragutin Stević-Ranković August 18, 2018

Foreign players A maximum of four foreigners are allowed per club which follows the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) '3+1 rule'; three players of any nationality and a fourth coming from an AFC member nation.

Players name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window. Club Players Former Players Ceres–Negros Toni Doblas Bienvenido Marañón Blake Powell Súper Takumi Uesato Davao Aguilas Kim Sungmin Tahj Minniecon Wesley dos Santos Takashi Odawara Harry Sawyer Diego Alves Global Cebu Lee Jeong-min Adam Mitter Milan Nikolić Darryl Roberts Rufo Sánchez Wesley dos Santos JPV Marikina Keigo Moriyasu Atsushi Shimono Tsubasa Suzuki Takumi Uesato Ryuki Kozawa Kaya–Iloilo Serge Kaole Robert Lopez Mendy Masanari Omura Alfred Osei Jordan Mintah Stallion Laguna Ko Kyung-joon Carlo Polli Abou Sy Yu Sung-Na Gabriele Mascazzini Ken Kensei

Former players only include players who left after either the start of the 2018 season or the 2018 Copa Paulino Alcantara. Also a holder of AFC nationality (Australia)

Foreign players by confederation AFC (5), (4), (2) CAF (1), (2), (1) CONCACAF (1) CONMEBOL (1) OFC (1) UEFA (3), (1), (1), (1)

Brad McDonald has both Australia and Papua New Guinea FIFA nationality.

League table

Positions by round

Results by round

Results The six clubs will play each other in two rounds of home and away matches. The final round hosting will be via drawing of lots. 75 league matches will be played in total.

First round

Second round

Final round

Season statistics Scoring Top goalscorers

Rank Player Club Goals1 Robert Lopez Mendy Kaya–Iloilo182 Bienvenido Marañón Ceres–Negros153 Phil Younghusband Davao Aguilas134 Keigo Moriyasu JPV Marikina115 James Younghusband Davao Aguilas106 Jovin Bedic Kaya–Iloilo9 Mike Ott Ceres–Negros Carlo Polli Stallion Laguna9 J Baguioro JPV Marikina8 Jesus Melliza Stallion Laguna Kim Sung-Min Davao Aguilas

Top assists

Rank Player Club Assists1 Phil Younghusband Davao Aguilas132 Mike Ott Ceres–Negros113 Miguel Tanton Kaya–Iloilo104 Jovin Bedic Kaya–Iloilo9 Manny Ott Ceres–Negros6 Matthew Hartmann Davao Aguilas8 Jesus Melliza Stallion Laguna Keigo Moriyasu JPV Marikina9 Robert Lopez Mendy Kaya–Iloilo610 Fitch Arboleda Stallion Laguna5 Tyler Matas Davao Aguilas OJ Porteria Ceres–Negros Patrick Reichelt Ceres–Negros Stephan Schröck Ceres–Negros James Younghusband Davao Aguilas

Own goals

RankPlayerClubOwngoals1 Terence LinatocStallion Laguna1 Tsubasa SuzukiJPV Marikina Reynald VillarealStallion Laguna Ko Kyung-joonStallion Laguna

Hat-tricks

PlayerClubResultAgainst DateRef Jordan Mintah Kaya–Iloilo 4–1 (A)JPV MarikinaMay 5, 2018 Robert Lopez MendyKaya–Iloilo 4–2 (H)Davao AguilasMay 20, 2018 Robert Lopez MendyKaya–Iloilo 4–2 (H)JPV MarikinaJune 27, 2018 Jovin BedicKaya–Iloilo 4–2 (H)Stallion LagunaJuly 4, 2018 Bienvenido MarañónCeres–Negros 6–1 (H)Global CebuJuly 25, 2018 Keigo MoriyasuJPV Marikina11–1 (A)August 1, 2018 Jay Baguioro Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Toni DoblasCeres–Negros72 Nathanael VillanuevaKaya–Iloilo43 Patrick DeytoDavao Aguilas34 Ronilo Bayan Jr.Davao Aguilas2 Nick O'DonnellDavao Aguilas Felipe TripulcaStallion Laguna7 Zach BanzonKaya–Iloilo1 Ref CuaresmaKaya–Iloilo Nelson GasicJPV Marikina Hayeson PepitoStallion Laguna Benito RosaliaStallion Laguna

Discipline

Red cards

Rank Player Club Red Cards1 Alfred Osei Kaya–Iloilo2 Omid Nazari Ceres–Negros Robert Lopez Mendy Kaya–Iloilo4 Rufo Sanchez Global Cebu1 Dennis Villanueva Davao Aguilas Adam Reed Davao Aguilas Jason Cordova Stallion Laguna Camelo Tacusalme Kaya–Iloilo Robert Cañedo JPV Marikina Shirmar Felongco Kaya–Iloilo Angelo Marasigan Global Cebu OJ Porteria Ceres–Negros Louie Casas Ceres–Negros Mike Ott Ceres–Negros Milan Nikolić Global Cebu

References

External links Official Website