Players from USC and ERCO Bro during one of their matches in the Aboitiz Football Cup. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Cebu’s premier football league, the Aboitiz Football Cup, is set to return this September for its highly anticipated 24th season, promising a more spectacular event than ever before.
Backed by the Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), this season will introduce the league’s inaugural “Champion’s League.” In this exciting new format, champion teams in the under-19 category from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will compete for the prestigious title of national champions.
This significant development was announced by CVFA president and PFF third vice president Rodney Orale to CDN Digital.
After a five-year hiatus primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aboitiz Football Cup is making a grand comeback in Cebu.
“We’re focusing on the under-19 category for the championship league because of our Youth program with the PFF,” said Orale.
“It’s exciting to have teams from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao competing, especially since it’s the first time we’re hosting in Mindanao. The champions from each leg will compete in what we’re calling the Champion’s Cup.”
Orale also shared that preparations are in full swing, with the Aboitiz Foundation stepping in as the main presenter, taking over from Aboitiz Land.
“Once we learned they were planning to revive the Aboitiz Cup in Cebu, we immediately started preparations and held meetings. They visited Cebu, and we’ve already had some productive discussions,” Orale added.
Environmentally Conscious Efforts
This season, the Aboitiz Football Cup is not just about football; it’s also about making a positive impact on the environment. Each team will be required to collect plastic waste, which will be gathered by their partners from Coca-Cola. The team that collects the most plastic waste will receive a special award.
“The added prestige this year is the waste campaign. By the end of the tournament, we aim to collect thousands of kilos of plastic waste. Each team must pledge to dispose of plastics at designated venues, and we’ll collect the waste weekly or monthly with Coca-Cola’s assistance,” Orale explained.
“Coca-Cola will provide trash bins for all plastic waste, and teams that meet the required kilos will be recognized with an award.”
The 24th season of the Aboitiz Football Cup will take place at several prominent locations in Cebu, including the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex, Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC), Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC), University of San Carlos (USC), and the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
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