PARTNERSHIP. PFF general secretary, Atty. Edwin Gastanes (right) with Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker during a signing of partnership ceremony held in Doha, Qatar on January 26, 2020. Qatar Airways is now the primary sponsor of the Philippine Football League. (Photo courtesy of PFF)
MANILA -- Qatar Airways is now officially the primary sponsor of the Philippines Football League (PFL).
Philippine Football Federation secretary general Ed Gastanes and Qatar Airways Group chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker formalized the partnership, that will run for three seasons, by signing a memorandum of agreement at the Qatar Airways head office in Doha on Sunday.
“We thank Qatar Airways for their willingness to help bolster Philippine football by establishing a partnership with PFF as airline partner and title sponsor of the PFL,” PFF president Nonong Araneta said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The PFF, together with Qatar Airways, will pave the way in forging the sustainability of professional club football in the country,” he added.
Among the major plans of the PFF and Qatar Airways for the new PFL season, which is scheduled to start in March, is to bring the league back on national television.
The PFL did not enjoy having televised matches all season long last year from the league season to the Copa Paulino Alcantara, although all of the matches were streamed live in the PFL website and in its Facebook page.
Ceres Negros, which finished the season unbeaten en route to its third straight championship, looks to make it a four-peat this year, although Kaya Iloilo and Stallion Laguna still pose as challenges to its title defense bid. (PNA)
