Another attempt to revive football in the country has been launched with the holding of the United Football League (UFL) next month.

“Football is arguably the second most played sport in the Philippines next to basketball, with millions of kids playing it all over the country. We need to give them a league wherein they can aspire to play in one day,” says Philip Hagedorn, head of the Football Alliance (FA), the prime mover group of the UFL.

He said that despite being the most popular sport in the world, football hasn’t attained its full potential and has failed to establish a strong fan base because of the absence of a permanent league, as well as the lack of support from government sports bodies and stakeholders.

“It is our vision to bring football back by tapping the youth, professionals, enthusiasts and serious footballers and relive the country’s glory days in the sport through the UFL,” he added

Backed by leading courier firm LBC Express, the three-part league starts this month and ends in May 2010 as a fitting build-up tournament to the World Cup in 2010 set in South Africa.

Already, the UFL has 16 corporate- backed teams with some 400 players, representing the various football clubs in the country, including Korean and Japanese teams from expat communities and major services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

While far from being a play-for-pay league, the FA is optimistic that this will be a good opportunity to jumpstart the sport and make it a premiere league in Asia.