Cebu Football Club (CFC) Gentle Giants players celebrate after scoring a goal in one of their matches. | Cebu FC photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—In what seems to be an ironic turn of events, the Cebu Football Club Gentle Giants are again preparing for their “home” matches away from home.
For their second consecutive AFC Champions League (ACL) campaign, Cebu FC will be playing their games at the Rizal Memorial Stadium (RMS) in Manila.
Despite the club’s best efforts—and pleas from Cebu FC officials and the Cebu City government—the AFC committee ruled that the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) is not fit to host AFC games because it failed to meet their standards.
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For the upcoming ACL 2 opener, the Gentle Giants will be tasked to defend their “home turf” in what may end up to be a virtually empty venue at the RMS.
Their first opponent is South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC, a two-time ACL champion, whom they’ll face on September 19 at 8 p.m.
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Home games
For a club proudly representing Cebu, this marks the second time that the Cebu FC will be playing their home games in Manila during a continental competition, due to the lack of a stadium in Cebu that meets AFC’s lofty standards.
The irony deepens considering the fact that the Cebu FC, and its passionate football fans had hoped to experience the continental football right in their backyard.
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The Cebu City Sports Center, which has previously hosted friendly matches for the Philippine Men’s National Team and even the AFC President’s Cup, was the club’s pitched venue.
Unfortunately, after the AFC inspection last August, it was deemed unfit—again.
Cebu FC’s Dynamic HERB Borromeo Sports Complex, the club’s true home, didn’t pass inspection either, due to its failure to meet the seating capacity requirement.
Dynamic Herb Cebu FC CEO and General Manager Ugur Tasci has expressed his hopes that the Cebu private sector and local government will finally step in to help upgrade the DH stadium to meet AFC standards.
“We have the turf. I hope the private sector and the government can help, even if it is just adding the bleachers, just that—the rest I can do,” said Tasci.
According to AFC regulations, a venue must seat at least 5,000 spectators to host ACL matches. The DH stadium, while charming in its own right, can only comfortably fit around 900.
To add yet another obstacle to this tough AFC journey, the RMS, Cebu FC’s temporary “home,” is scheduled for renovation.