The Roads Back to the AFC Cup With one avenue to the AFC Cup already lost, Kaya FC–Iloilo has plenty of work to do to maximize its chances of being the Philippines' second representative in Asia.

A competition of 36 teams from all regions of Asia, the AFC Cup is the top priority for football clubs in developing football nations, including the Philippines. The opportunity to lock horns against some of the top footballing outfits in the continent not only provides an exciting competitive challenge, it also provides a massive platform from which to build prestige and commercial viability. Having gotten a taste of AFC Cup football in 2016, Kaya FC–Iloilo is eager to return to the Asian stage once again. But with one path to the competition now out of reach, the team now has to make a late season push for the last remaining ticket.

Each of the six clubs in the PFL is presented two roads to the hallowed ground of Asian club football. The primary route is reserved for the league champions—a path no longer available due to Ceres Negros’ claiming of the 2018 PFL title. The club that earns this route not only gets a reservation to the AFC Cup, they also receive a chance at qualifying for Asia’s most prestigious club competition, the AFC Champions League.

To illustrate the process, here’s an example. Ceres Negros is currently in the AFC Cup, quite literally midway through the ASEAN zone final. Earlier in the year, however, as the Philippine champions, they were first given a shot at earning a place among Asia’s elite clubs. To gain access, the task was simple, but extremely challenging—win three Qualifying Playoff matches. The busmen managed victories over Myanmar’s Shan United and Australia’s Brisbane Roar, but fell short at the final hurdle against China’s Tianjin Quanjian, a team that incidentally, is currently in the Champions League quarterfinals. After losing that match, Ceres were slotted back into the AFC Cup group stage, from where they successfully progressed and pushed on towards the ASEAN zone final.

The second route to the Asian stage for Filipino clubs, is through the Copa Paulino Alcantara, which is set to run from September to October. This new cup competition will feature a single round group stage, a semifinal round, and a subsequent final. The winner will gain immediate access to the 2019 AFC Cup group stage. As such, at this point of the season, it’s all about gearing up for the Copa, and fighting for the last remaining AFC Cup place. There is, however, a third potential path to Asian club football, and it’s particularly relevant for Kaya FC–Iloilo.

As stated by the PFL earlier in the season, should the same club win both the League and Cup competitions, the Philippines’ second representative for the AFC Cup will the be the team that finishes second in the League. This rule is very important, as Kaya currently sits in second place. With six League matches still left to play for Iloilo, it’s vital that the club remains focused on solidifying its hold on second spot. Although this route is more of a fall back, it offers a legitimate path to the AFC Cup that should be taken very seriously.

Currently, Kaya holds second place with 33 points from 19 matches, allowing for a maximum of 51 points should the team win the rest its matches. Davao Aguilas is in third, with 32 points from 22 outings (maximum of 41). Meanwhile, fourth placed Stallion Laguna is still well in the mix, with 28 points from 20 games (maximum of 43). That total could potentially rise to 31 (maximum of 46), should they manage to overturn the three points docked from them earlier in the season. Mathematically, this means Kaya still needs to win five of its remaining six matches (taking into consideration potential of Laguna being given back the three docked points), in order to guarantee a second place finish. 

So, while the race for the title may be over, Kaya FC–Iloilo’s remaining six games are far from a formality. In fact, August’s flurry of matches could very well make or break the club’s hopes of returning to the AFC Cup.