PVL All-Filipino: No easy road to the Finals

With the departure of two teams reshaping the league in unexpected fashion, the competition enters a wide-open phase. There are no clear front-runners, depth abounds across the field, and the road to the finals promises to be anything but straightforward.

The Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference kicks off this Saturday (Jan. 31) at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, promising a mix of familiar powerhouses and retooled squads, with an intact Cignal side testing the mettle of a new-look Galeries Tower, and Akari going head-to-head with Choco Mucho with both teams relying heavily on the core of their respective rosters.

With the league now trimmed to 10 teams following the departures of champion teams Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo, the field is wide open, making this season’s conference one of the most unpredictable yet.

“Two teams had to take a leave, and the talents from those squads were evenly distributed among the remaining 10 teams,” said PVL Control Committee chairman Sherwin Malonzo during Wednesday’s AFC press conference at Discovery Suites in Ortigas. “Given that distribution, we expect the road to the finals won’t be a walk in the park for any team.”

PVL president Ricky Palou echoed that sentiment, noting the heightened competition and opportunities for all teams under the revamped format.

“Everybody can expect a tougher conference this year, and all teams will have the chance to perform better. We’re in for a really exciting season, and I wish all the squads the best of luck,” he said.

Several teams made major roster overhauls in the offseason, raising expectations for a fiercely competitive season. Nxled emerged as one of the biggest movers, acquiring most of Petro Gazz’s core, including three-time league MVP Brooke Van Sickle.

Galeries Tower also made a splash, bringing in 14 new players, while Capital1, led by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Bella Belen, added eight. Choco Mucho strengthened its lineup with Eya Laure and the return of Sisi Rondina, while sister team Creamline aims to reclaim the PVL crown with eight-time Best Setter Jia De Guzman and former MVP Bernadeth Pons back in the fold.

PLDT and Cignal opted for continuity, adding only one player each to maintain chemistry and familiarity. Meanwhile, Akari, ZUS Coffee and Farm Fresh bolstered their lineups with talent from Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz, further raising the unpredictability of the conference.

The league’s new format also ensures that every match matters. After a single round-robin elimination round, no team will be eliminated immediately. The top four teams advance to the qualifying round, while the remaining six go through a play-in stage.

In the qualifying round, the No. 1 seed faces No. 4, and No. 2 meets No. 3. The winners earn direct semifinals spots, while the losers face the winners of the play-in. The play-in divides the six teams into two groups: No. 6, 7, and 10 in one group, and No. 5, 8, and 9 in the other. The fifth- and sixth-ranked teams wait for the winner of their respective groups, giving lower-ranked squads a fighting chance.

If a team sweeps the elimination round, it will go straight to the semifinals, with the fourth seed automatically awaiting the play-in winner. The semifinals will then adopt a single round-robin format, with a rubber match to break any ties. The championship and bronze medal matches will be decided in a best-of-three series.

With redistributed talent, strategic offseason acquisitions, and a format designed to keep every match competitive, the PVL All-Filipino Conference is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling seasons in league history.