Manila Digger F.C.
| Full name | Manila Digger Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Diggers | |||
| Founded | 2018 | |||
| Head coach | Haijun Li | |||
| League | Philippines Football League | |||
| 2024–25 | Philippines Football League, 2nd of 10 | |||
| Website | maniladiggerfc | |||
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Manila Digger Football Club is a Filipino professional football club based in Taguig, Manila which currently plays in the Philippines Football League. The club was founded in 2018.
History
Foundation and early years
Manila Digger's foundation can be traced back in 2018 by a community of Chinese migrants in Manila who were working and studying in the country.[1]
Manila Digger began their journey in professional football in the 2023 edition of the Copa Paulino Alcantara.[2] They then entered the 2024 season of the Philippines Football League.[3]
Rise to prominence
2024–25 season
During the 2024–25 season, Manila Digger fell one point away to eventual league champions Kaya–Iloilo, but nonetheless qualified for the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two qualifying play-off against Indonesian champions Persib Bandung. The club also participated in the Finals Series, beating One Taguig in the semi-final following a late goal from Ousman Gai in the 83rd minute winning 2–1. The club would eventually lose to Cebu 0–1 missing out on the ASEAN Club Championship.[4]
Continental debut
On 13 August 2025, Manila Digger made their continental debut against Persib Bandung in the AFC Champions League Two qualification play-off round where they would eventually lose 2–1, but Modou Joof made history becoming the first Digger player to score in a continental competition.[5] Following AFC's continental competition format, Manila Digger qualified in the AFC Challenge League as the losers of the qualification play-off in AFC Champions League Two where they were drawn into Group D alongside Laotian club Ezra, Mongolian club SP Falcons and Cambodian club Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.[6]
2025–26 AFC Challenge League
On 26 October 2025, the club made history by winning their first AFC Challenge League match against Ezra 3–1, becoming the first Filipino side to win a match in the AFC competition since Ceres in 2014. Ousman Gai and Dilane Wamba scored in the first half and Baboucarr Touray would follow up a third goal for Manila Digger in the second half.[7] Manila Digger would win their second match against Mongolian side SP Falcons 2–0 with a goal from Saikou Ceesay in the first half and then followed by a final goal by fellow Gambian compatriot Gai in the second half to finish off the game. Manila Digger successfully qualified to the knockout stage and becoming the first Filipino side to qualify in a continental knockout round since Ceres back in 2019.[8][9][10] Manila Digger finished runners up in Group D after drawing their match 2–2 against Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.[11] Ousman Gai would score a brace in the match, but it was not enough to break through, as 2 goals would come from Svay Rieng in the second half. [12][13]
The club faced against Indonesian club Dewa United Banten in the knockout stage of the tournament and hosted the first leg as runners-up of Group D where Manila Digger went on to win 1–0.[14] Manila Digger would secure a 2–2 draw in Indonesia winning on a 3–2 aggregate score to advance in the semi-finals of the tournament. They would face Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng in the semi-finals and will be travelling away in the first leg.[15]
Crest and colors
The club traditionally plays in yellow and red kits tracing from the club's Chinese roots.[1][16] The club's crest features a shield shape with yellow and red base colors and a monicker of the club's name is placed in the center.
Sponsors
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Partner |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–2024 | UCAN[16] | OKFly1 |
| 2024–2025 | Zealand Metal1 OKFly2 | |
| 2025–present | Zealand Metal1 Prime Rehabilitation,[17] Starbalm[18]2 Yison3 |
- 1 Major shirt sponsor (Names located at the front of the shirt)
- 2 Secondary sponsor (Names mostly located at the back of the shirt)
- 3 Located on the sleeves
Players
Current squad
- As of 25 February 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Management and technical staff
Managerial history
| Managers | Period |
|---|---|
| Lerche Njang | 2023 |
| Pong Liman | 2023–2024 |
| Oriol Mohedano | 2024 |
| Juan Manuel Saez | 2024–2025 |
| Kim Versales | 2025 |
| Haijun Li | 2025–present |
Honors
League
- Philippines Football League
- Runners-up (1): 2024–25
Cup
- Philippines Football League Finals Series
- Runners-up (1): 2024–25
Records
| Season | Division | League Position | Copa Paulino Alcantara |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Did not participate | Group stage | |
| 2024 | PFL | 7th | – |
| 2024–25 | 2nd (League) | – | |
| 2nd (Finals Series) | – | ||
Continental record
| Competition | Q | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Champions League Two | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.00 |
| AFC Challenge League | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 60.00 |
| Total | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 50.00 |
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | AFC Champions League Two | Qualifying play-offs | Persib | 1–2 | ||
| AFC Challenge League | Group stage | Ezra | 3–1 | 2nd | ||
| SP Falcons | 2–0 | |||||
| PKR Svay Rieng | 2–2 | |||||
| Quarter finals | Dewa United Banten | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | ||
| Semi finals | PKR Svay Rieng | April 16, 2026 | April 9, 2026 | |||
Performance in AFC competitions
- AFC Challenge League: 1 appearance
- 2025–26: TBD
See also
References
- ^ a b "ABOUT US". Manila Digger FC.
- ^ "Kaya FC Iloilo heads 17-team field in Copa Paulino Alcantara". ABS-CBN News. July 15, 2023. Archived from the original on July 15, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
- ^ "15 clubs are G this PFL '24". Dugout Philippines. February 5, 2024. Archived from the original on February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
- ^ "Cebu FC crowned PFL Finals Series champs, books spot in AFF Shopee Cup". Cebu Daily News. May 4, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
- ^ "Persib Bandung Berhasil Tumbangkan Manila Digger 2-1" [Persib Bandung Successfully Beat Manila Digger 2-1] (in Indonesian). Tribungroup.net. August 14, 2025.
- ^ "Group Stage showdowns decided". the-afc.com. August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Group D: Manila Digger FC (PHI) 3-1 Ezra FC (LAO)". the-afc.com. October 26, 2025.
- ^ "Group D: SP Falcons FC (MNG) 0–2 Manila Digger FC (PHI)". the-afc.com. October 29, 2025.
- ^ Terrado, Jonas (November 15, 2025). "Manila Digger through to AFC Challenge League quarterfinals". inquirer.net.
- ^ "AFC Challenge League Newcomer Manila Digger impresses in Groups Stage, Marches to QF". Philippine Football Federation.
- ^ "Group D: Manila Digger FC (PHI) 2–2 Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC (CAM)". the-afc.com. November 1, 2025.
- ^ "AFC Challenge League: Juara Grup, Dewa United Perempat final" [AFC Challenge League: Group winners Dewa United advance to Quarterfinals]. CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved November 1, 2025.
- ^ "Manila Digger reaches AFC Challenge League quarterfinals". Daily Guardian. November 5, 2025.
- ^ "Diggers Stun Dewa United". Daily Tribune. March 5, 2026.
- ^ "QF (2nd Leg): Manila Digger hold off Dewa United to advance". the-afc.com. November 1, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ a b "Manila Digger FC Kit History". footballkitarchive.com.
- ^ "Sandbox Clinic PRIME (PRIME) is thrilled to announce its partnership with the Manila Digger Football Club (MDFC) to become its official recovery and rehabilitation facility". Sandbox Rehabilitation (PRIME) on facebook. April 21, 2025.
- ^ "Manila Digger FC is honored to have Starbalm as our official sport care partner". Manila Digger FC on facebook. September 18, 2025.