PH football expands grassroots path with nationwide youth league

RFA Youth League Under-11 8v8 action in Bohol.-Photo from PBRFA

MANILA, Philippines–Aimed at strengthening the country’s grassroots football program, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has launched the nationwide Regional Football Associations Youth League (RFA YL).

Moving away from one-off tournaments and short-term clinics, the new initiative establishes a sustainable talent pathway through consistent and structured competitions directly into local communities.

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“The RFA Youth League is about bringing youth competitions back to the communities and making sure that young players in every region have a real, structured chance to play and to be seen,” PFF president John Anthony Gutierrez said.

Driven by its 39 Regional Football Associations (RFAs), the inaugural league has mobilized 10,000 young athletes across 618 teams in the Under-11 and Under-13 age brackets.

The tournament runs through November and utilizes an 8v8 format for both football and futsal.

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The early participation and large turnout highlight massive, untapped demand for organized youth sports across the country.

Mindanao leads the charge with 268 teams (130 in U11 and 138 in U13), followed by Luzon with 225 teams (98 in U11 and 127 in U13), and the Visayas with 125 teams (58 in U11 and 67 in U13). More squads are expected to join as matches expand this September.

The program is integrated into the Fifa Talent Development Scheme (TDS). This global framework ensures that talent identification in the Philippines transitions from accidental discovery to a data-driven system.