United City FC. –PFL/UCFC PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – United City FC announced its withdrawal from the resumed 2022-23 season of the Philippine Soccer League on Thursday after confirming the financial problems that plagued the club during the long hiatus.
UCFC broke its silence after weeks of inactivity on social media, saying its “opt-out” request for the remainder of the league season was granted by the Philippine Football Federation due to legal issues with a Singapore company. listed as an investor.
“UCFC had signed a major deal with RCL, a Singapore-based real estate and sports investment entity in mid-2021, which the same company ultimately breached in October. 2022,” United City said.
“Since RCL also failed to meet final settlement deadlines agreed earlier this month, it has now forced UCFC to temporarily suspend operations of its professional soccer team and withdraw its team from the remainder of the 2022/23 PFL season.” .
Rumors of United City’s struggles have spread throughout the football community and in online fan groups, especially after several key players in their Paulino Alcantara Cup title run signed abroad and relocated. to other PFL clubs.
“The UCFC case is part of the realities on the ground, which need to be addressed,” said PFL Commissioner Coco Torre. “We congratulate UCFC for the high standards they previously set, but we must also consider the economics that surround soccer as a business.”
The league will determine in future the games that will affect United City, which before the league took a long breather in November were second in the seven-team table.
United City made its debut in 2020 after it took over the Ceres-Negros club license, which was dissolved due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He won the pandemic-shortened 2020 PFL season led by Ceres holdovers Stephan Schrock and Bienvenido Maranon before adding the Cup crown in 2022 after dethroning champion Kaya-Iloilo.
The club also appeared in the AFC Champions League on two occasions in 2021 and 2022.
UCFC had been playing its home games in New Clark City following a partnership with Capas’ headquarters, Tarlac.
“We understand the situation affecting United City FC which forced them to withdraw from the league,” said PFF president Nonong Araneta. “We hope that the club and its management can recover from this situation.”
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