Panaad Stadium to host 2017 PFL final

The Panaad Stadium (Photo by Dominic Alojado – Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

MANILA — The Philippines Football League (PFL) officially announced Monday that the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City will host Saturday night’s PFL showdown between Ceres Negros and Global Cebu for all the marbles.

In a statement, the PFL cited Article 2.11 of its tournament regulations, under which the selection of the host stadium for the final match is based not just on the availability of the stadium, but also on a variety of factors, among them commercial, marketing, and financial considerations.

With the announcement, Negros will now have a chance to clinch the title in the knockout game in front of excited fans.

The decision was made hours after Cebu made public its intent to host the final match.

In a meeting with officials of the Final Four teams last Nov. 29, the league said the Cebu City Sports Complex is unavailable due to lighting and pitch conditions, contrary to the club’s statement that it is available.

Despite being a consolation match, much is at stake in the clash, including a spot in next year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFP) Cup, which depends on how far the winner of the Negros-Cebu showdown would go in its AFC Champions League bid. (PNA)