As Ceres–La Salle, their first major success in the United Football League (UFL) was winning the UFL Division 2 title in 2014, earning them promotion to the first division. Since then, they have won the UFL FA League Cup (2014) and the UFL Division 1 title (2015). The club also won the PFF National Men's Club Championship twice (2012–13 and 2013–14). As Ceres–Negros, they won the PFL title in three consecutive seasons: 2017 through 2019, as well as the 2019 Copa Paulino Alcantara. In 2019, they completed the domestic double without a single loss.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic which affected Ceres Liner operations, Yanson was forced to sell the club through the help of Emirati-Philippine sports marketing firm MMC Sportz Asia. MMC negotiated the deal on behalf of the new owners who registered the entity as United City Football Company Inc., retained most of the Ceres players and renamed the club to United City F.C.
In February 2023, United City was forced to withdraw from the PFL over financial and legal issues caused by the default of payments by its Singapore investor, Riau Capital Live.
History
Ceres (2012–2020)
Early years
United City was founded by Leo Rey Yanson in 2012 as Ceres–La Salle FC,[1][2][3] with the cooperation of the University of St. La Salle of Bacolod.[4] The club was initially composed of college and some Korean players, becoming primarily led by Philippines national team players.[5] A notable early victory was at the inaugural Negros Men's Open Football Championships in January 2012, an 11–0 win against Bacolod United F.C. in the final.[6]
After their victory in the PFF championship, Ceres expressed an intention to join the United Football League (UFL, the top-tier football league in the Philippines at that time). They were not able to play in the 2013 UFL season, however, and joined the league for the 2013 UFL Cup.[10][11]
Ceres debuted in the UFL in the 2014 season in Division 2. The club dominated the division, and was promoted to Division 1 the following season.[12][13] Ceres were considered serious contenders for the 2015 UFL Division 1 title in their first year,[14] and clinched the championship with several regular-season games to play.[15] They were unable to replicate their success in the 2016 season, and finished second.
Davao Aguilas vs. Ceres–Negros, September 16, 2017.
When the Philippines Football League supplanted the UFL as the Philippines' top-tier football league, Ceres was among the pioneer clubs of the 2017 inaugural season. Ceres renamed themselves the Ceres-Negros F.C., designating the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod as their home venue. Ceres-Negros won the championship in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and the 2019 Copa Paulino Alcantara title.
Issues at Vallacar Transit affected Ceres-Negros operations during the 2019 season, when the team's status was uncertain due to a Yanson family dispute about Vallacar's management.[16][17] Although Ceres chairman Leo Rey Yanson lost control of Vallacar after four of his siblings staged a boardroom coup in July, he regained control of the company in August.[18] Despite the turmoil, Ceres clinched the league title.[19]
United City (2020–2023)
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and after the 2020 PFL season was postponed, rumors of Ceres–Negros' departure from the league (or disbanding) have circulated.[20][7] The pandemic triggered a force majeure which terminated the contracts of all the club's players.[21]
In July 2020, Ceres-Negros announced that club owner and chairman Leo Rey Yanson would step down and the club would negotiate with potential investors.[22] Emirati-Philippine sports marketing firm MMC Sportz Asia was announced as the negotiator on behalf of the new group of owners of Ceres–Negros, and renamed the club United City F.C. The new owners said that the core of the original club (16 of its 21 players) would remain.[23] MMC Sportz Asia had been involved in Philippine football as appointed marketing arm of Global F.C. in 2019, but terminated their agreement during the season due to non payment by the club.[24]
United City's, (owned by United City Football Company Inc.) new management re-signed Ceres' former players, intending to retain the core of its previous owner.[25] They include team captain Stephan Schröck, who was appointed a player-coach.[26][27] They went on to clinch the title of the shortened 2020 PFL season which was held in a bubble due to the pandemic. The PFL title was their first as United City, and their fourth overall. They are also the first Filipino Club to qualify in the AFC Champions League group stage. On July 8, 2021, the club beat Beijing FC of China PR to become the first-ever Filipino club to win an AFC Champions League group stage match.[28]
In June 2021, in a lead up to the 2021 PFL season, United City announced that it has adopted New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac as its home locality. It also has entered a partnership with the local government of Pampanga. The club with intentions to have its home stadium also announced that it would be temporarily using the New Clark City Stadium as its home venue. It also said that it would be changing its name to United Clark after the 2021 season.[29][30] The name change did not happen as planned.
The club was not able to play in their home venue either for the 2021 season since most games were still held at the PFF National Training Center.[31] They are finally set to play their first home game at the NCC Athletics Stadium on October 22, 2022, as part of the 2022–23 PFL season.[32]
Withdrawal from the PFL
Following the conclusion of the first half of the 2022–23 PFL season, United City released its players and staff. The PFL and the PFF would confirm the withdrawal of the club from the league in February 2023. This is due to the financial issues arising from the club's deal with investor Riau Capital Live (RCL) which is based in Singapore. The RCL entered into a major agreement in United City in mid-2021 but later defaulted in October 2022. The non-fulfillment of RCL's final settlement with United City led to the withdrawal of the club while the results of a legal dispute is pending.[33][34][35]
Return
United City announced its return to the PFL in the 2024 season.[36] United City FC officially appointed Indonesianbusiness women Esti Puji Lestari as chairperson in mid-February 2024.[37][38]
Players
As of 24 March 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
2019 Ceres–Negros home kit. As Ceres, the kit was predominantly yellow.
As Ceres FC, the club crest was derived from the Ceres Liner emblem. It was encircled in green to represent the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, which is known for its football team. The center is the oval logo of the Yanson company: Vallacar Transit, which owned the club at that time.[39] The team wore yellow home shirts.[40][41][42]
After the renaming of Ceres-Negros as United City F.C., a contest to design a new club crest was announced.[23][43] The new crest, a circle with a football in the center, was unveiled on July 29, 2020.[44] It was designed by Gerard Endaya, creative director of Grit Sports. Some of the crest's elements note United City's past as Ceres; its shape was carried over from its predecessor, and the two stars symbolize United City's incarnations as Ceres–La Salle and Ceres–Negros.[44][45]
^Morgan was hired by United City F.C. supposedly for the 2020 PFL season.[59][60] However Frank Muescan coached in Morgan's stead due to Morgan, who was based in Australia at that time, unable to go to the Philippines due to logistical issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[61]
^Withe was hired by United City F.C. as the club's official head coach, at least for its 2021 AFC Champions League campaign due to White possessing the needed coaching license to lead a team in the continental tournament which caretaker coach, Frank Muescan, did not have.[62] Muescan served as head coach in a de facto capacity, with Withe serving as a consultant to Muescan.[61]
^Tupas, Cedelf (January 22, 2017). "Road to redemption". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
^Jerome Galunan Jr. (August 22, 2012). "Ceres-La Salle FC to join UFL". Watchmen Daily Journal. Watchmen Daily Journal. Archived from the original on August 28, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
^Suyu, Ian (October 14, 2020). "Schrock ready to roll". Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020. Head coach Trevor Morgan is not yet around, but the squad remains composed, thanks to former Ceres mentor Frank Muescan manning to fort.
