Iloilo-Guimaras, Negros Occidental set for 2026 PFF youth tilt

Iloilo-Guimaras Regional Football Association and Negros Occidental Regional Football Association are set to compete in the 2026 PFF National Under-19 and Under-16 Boys’ National Championship Group Stage after the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) formally announced the complete ten-team rosters for both age divisions.

The last remaining berth in the inaugural National U16 Championship was secured by the Iligan-Lanao Regional Football Association, which finished with four points in the tiebreaker — one point ahead of Quezon Regional Football Association.

Iligan-Lanao Regional Football Association joins Group B alongside Golden Davao Regional Football Association, Camiguin-Misamis Oriental Regional Football Association, Negros Occidental Regional Football Association, and Olongapo City-Zambales Football Association.

Group A will feature the National Capital Region Football Association, Central Bicol Regional Football Association, Misamis Occidental-Ozamiz Football Association, Mount Apo Regional Football Association, and Iloilo-Guimaras Regional Football Association.

Iligan-Lanao Regional Football Association expressed pride in its qualification, stating that the team’s “hard work, dedication, and teamwork have paid off — ILRFA is going national!”

Head coach Uriel Burda highlighted the efforts of their standout players, adding: “We are so happy and proud that the ILRFA football team qualified for the National Finals… Thank you, PFF.”

In the U19 Emerging Division, two best second-placers also advanced to the Group Stage: Mount Apo Regional Football Association of Cotabato and Olongapo City-Zambales Football Association.

Mount Apo Regional Football Association topped the tiebreakers with four points, while Olongapo City-Zambales Football Association edged Camarines Norte Regional Football Association by two goals in goal difference to claim the last finals slot.

Mount Apo Regional Football Association enters Group A with Laguna Regional Football Association, Central Bicol Regional Football Association, Zamboanga del Norte-Dipolog Regional Football Association, and South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos Regional Football Association, while Olongapo City-Zambales Football Association joins Cordillera Regional Football Association, Butuan-Agusan del Norte Football Association, and Davao South Regional Football Association.

Olongapo City-Zambales Football Association President Roberto Dy said their simultaneous U16 and U19 qualification “is a testament to how well and alive football is in our area,” adding that the achievement validates years of grassroots work across Olongapo, Zambales, and Bataan.

PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez congratulated all qualified teams, emphasizing that the results reflect outstanding regional development across the country.

“Every RFA worked hard to reach this stage, and we value their commitment in developing our youth. These teams represent the strength of Philippine grassroots football,” Gutierrez said.

He also reaffirmed the Federation’s nationwide talent-scouting mandate, underscoring the importance of well-organized national competitions in surfacing deserving players.

“PFF is committed to scouring every corner of the country to find young, fresh talents. Well-organized national tournaments like this ensure that deserving players and teams have the platform to rise to the top,” he added.

The National Group Stage is scheduled to be held in Bacolod in April, where the country’s best youth teams will compete for national supremacy in what the PFF expects to be one of the most competitive editions of the championships to date.