MANILA -- The Philippine Premier League (PPL) showed a lot of promise when it was launched last January.
The league offered more fan interaction through a national television coverage and slightly going away with the logistically challenging home-and-away venue format in favor of a centralized battlefield format.
However, late challenges occurred right before the season started.
Two clubs jointly announced their non-participation, while two others were revealed to have their application for a professional club license disapproved.
Despite the PPL pushing through with its opening night, although in a lately adjusted schedule, the uncertainty of its continuation remained.
And that uncertainty reached boiling point on Saturday.
The Philippine Football Federation announced that it is terminating its agreement with the PPL's operator, the Triple CH Holdings, to run the top-tier league.
"The decision carries full approval from the PFF Board of Governors, led by its president Mariano Araneta Jr.," the PFF said in a statement.
The federation added that it has notified PPL commissioner Bernie Sumayao and the five licensed clubs of the decision, which was made Friday.
However, the PFF assured that the season will push through, although reverting to the old Philippines Football League format.
"Kick-off will be scheduled middle of May 2019," the PFF said. "A meeting with the clubs, including those which have earlier withdrawn their participation from Philippine Premier League (Stallion Laguna FC, Global Cebu FC, and Ceres Negros FC) had already been scheduled."
The statement concluded, "PFF assures the football community and everyone that the league will continue its deliberate strides to be a successful national league, one which inspires young footballers in the country and one whose winners are eligible for nomination by PFF to compete in AFC competitions in 2020 and the years to come." (PNA)
