Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
Upcoming season or competition: 2025 WMPBL season | |
 | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | November 24, 2024 |
| Founder | Manny Pacquiao |
| Commissioner | Haydee Ong |
| Motto | Ang Liga Ng Bawat Pilipina (The League of Every Filipina) |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Headquarters | Pasig |
| Continent | FIBA Asia (Asia) |
| Most recent champion(s) | Pilipinas Aguilas (1st title) |
| Most titles | Pilipinas Aguilas (1 title) |
The Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) is a women's professional basketball league in the Philippines consisting of six teams. It serves as the women's counterpart of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
The league launched in November 2024 by boxing legend and former Senator Manny Pacquiao and is fourth league under the Maharlika Pilipinas name, following the men's MPBL, the Junior MPBL, and the volleyball counterpart Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA). It first began play as an amateur league in January 2025 with an invitational tournament. The league then turned pro in April and will begin its inaugural professional season in June.
History
[edit]Previous attempts
[edit]There have been two previous attempts at establishing a women's professional basketball league in the Philippines prior to the WMPBL. The first was the Pinay Ballers League in 2014 which gained the support of the Philippine Sports Commission.[1] The Women's National Basketball League followed in 2019 which turned professional a year later.[2][3] Aside from the aforementioned leagues, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) also hosted women's 3x3 basketball on two separate occasions, the first from 2015 to 2016 and the second in 2024.[4][5]
Establishment
[edit]Following the success of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, Manny Pacquiao expanded on its grassroots format by creating new leagues under the Maharlika Pilipinas name. After the launch of the Junior MPBL in June 2023, Pacquiao founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association in October that year, the first to feature female athletes. Reports of a direct women's counterpart were first published in October 2024, when Haydee Ong, head coach of the UST Growling Tigresses basketball team, accepted an offer to become the league's inaugural commissioner.[6][7][8]
The league formally launched on November 24, 2024 at the Winford Hotel in Manila, with Ong stating that "women's basketball now has evolved into a more exciting brand compared to the previous era", alluding to the Caitlin Clark effect seen in the United States. Although the league initially targeted eight to ten teams for the start of league play, fourteen ended up turning in. The league would begin as an amateur league for the Invitational Tournament before transitioning to professional status by mid-2025, during which it is expected to run its first full season.[9][10][11]
The league began play with the Invitational Tournament on January 19, 2025 at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on the campus of the University of Santo Tomas in Sampaloc, Manila.[12][13] It concluded on April 23 with the Pilipinas Aguilas defeating the UST Growling Tigresses. The next day, the league announced its transition to a professional league.[14][15]
The league's first professional season will start on June 29, 2025 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. Five out of fourteen Invitational teams remained, now with a location attached to each. An expansion team, RK Hoops–Quezon City was also added, bringing the league to six teams.[16]
Teams
[edit]| Team | Location | Joined | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery–Rizal Perlas | Rizal | 2025 | Helen Fedillaga |
| New Zealand Bluefire–Batangas Valkyries | Batangas | 2025 | Pocholo Villanueva |
| RK Hoops–Quezon City | Quezon City | 2025 | To be announced |
| San Juan Lady Knights | San Juan | 2025 | Christopher John Tolentino |
| Solar–Pangasinan Home Suns | Pangasinan | 2025 | Christine Iriss Isip |
| Tagaytay 'Tol Patriots | Tagaytay, Cavite | 2025 | Mandell Martinez |
Invitational teams
[edit]The following teams took part in the Invitational tournament, preceding the 2025 season.[10][11]
| Team | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| CEU Lady Scorpions | Centro Escolar University |
| EZ Jersey–Relentless | EZ Jersey Relentless Basketball |
| FEU Lady Tamaraws | Far Eastern University |
| Galeries Tower Skyrisers | Galeries Tower |
| Imus Lady Magdalo | Imus, Cavite |
| Philippine Navy Lady Sailors | Philippine Navy |
| Pilipinas Aguilas | None |
| PSP Gymers | PSP Fitness Gym |
| UST Growling Tigresses | University of Santo Tomas |
Roster regulations
[edit]For the Invitational Tournament, all players must be at least 18 years old. Teams will also be able to have one import and up to two Filipino-foreigner players. In addition, each team is limited to two players who play for the Philippines women's national basketball team. Once the league turns professional, the age requirement will be increased to 21.[10]
Season format
[edit]Invitational
[edit]The league divides the teams into two groups: Group A and Group B. Each team will play one game against each team from the opposing group, for a total of seven games for each team. The top four teams in each group will advance to the playoffs, with the top two earning twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. The semifinals and finals will both be best-of-three series.[17]
Championships
[edit]| Team | Win | Loss | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilipinas Aguilas | 1 | 0 | 1 | Inv. | — |
| UST Growling Tigresses | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | Inv. |
Media
[edit]The league’s inaugural broadcast partner is the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), which previously broadcast the 2021 MPBL Invitational. Similar to other Maharlika Pilipinas leagues, all games are also streamed on the league's social media channels.[18]
Commissioners
[edit]| No. | Commissioner | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | ||
| 1 | Haydee Ong | October 2024[6] | incumbent |
See also
[edit]- Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League – The league's men's counterpart
- Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association – The league's volleyball counterpart
References
[edit]- ^ Terrado, Reuben (October 20, 2014). "Finally, a post-college opportunity for women basketball players as Pinay Ballers League takes off". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ^ NBL women’s league fires off this weekend, Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Business World Online, April 5, 2019
- ^ First women’s pro league in Philippines gets GAB nod, Joey Villar, The Philippine Star, August 26, 2020
- ^ "PBA launches Women's 3x3 Challenge". Rappler. October 20, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
- ^ "Invitational WPBA 3x3 set Jan. 22". Philippine Basketball Association. January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Valencia, Justin (October 27, 2024). "Haydee Ong aims to elevate women's basketball as WMPBL commissioner". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ Matel, Philip (October 28, 2024). "Haydee Ong takes on new role as WMPBL commissioner". RAPPLER. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Morales, Luisa (October 28, 2024). "For love of women's basketball, UST's Haydee Ong takes on commissioner role in WMPBL". onesports.ph. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Morales, Luisa (January 19, 2025). "Manny Pacquiao heralds historic WMPBL, tells Filipina ballers: 'It's your time to shine'". onesports.ph. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
- ^ a b c Morales, Luisa (November 25, 2024). "'Liga ng Bawa't Pilipina': What to expect from the inaugural WMPBL tournament". onesports.ph. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Dongiapon, Rob Andrew (November 25, 2024). "WMPBL aims to bring 'Caitlin Clark effect' in PH women's basketball". RAPPLER. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Li, Matthew (January 18, 2025). "Kent Pastrana, UST open WMPBL campaign against Allana Lim, Discovery". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
- ^ "Palit na ba ng career? Terrence Romeo pinasok coaching" [Career change? Terrence Romeo enters coaching]. Abante News (in Tagalog). January 13, 2025. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
- ^ "WMPBL turns pro after Aguilas outlast UST for inaugural season crown". RAPPLER. April 24, 2025. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ "WMPBL to turn pro amid successful maiden season". Philstar.com. April 24, 2025. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Morales, Luisa (June 22, 2025). "WMPBL flaunts six-team cast in first professional season". onesports.ph. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^ "WMPBL kickoff gives Philippine women's basketball big lift". RAPPLER. January 17, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
- ^ "Inaugural Women's MPBL tips off with 14 teams". Spin.ph. January 17, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2025.