Look out, former pushovers now have talent to push back
Teams long parked at the bottom of the Premier Volleyball League standings have sent a clear message ahead of the 2026 All-Filipino Conference: they can no longer be ignored.
A flurry of offseason moves by rebuilding franchises has reshaped the competitive landscape as the conference opens this weekend in San Juan, turning what was once a top-heavy field into one of the league’s most unpredictable races in years.
The most dramatic shift came from Nxled Chameleons, which overhauled its roster after finishing near the cellar in both conferences last season. The Chameleons emerged as a surprise power following the leave of absence taken by defending champion Petro Gazz, landing multiple former Angels and assembling a core stacked with league MVPs and Finals veterans.
Once viewed as a team opponents could easily chalk up wins against, Nxled now enters the conference with championship expectations, blending proven stars with a retained group of young players under veteran Italian coach Ettore Guidetti.
Three-time MVP Brooke Van Sickle,two-time Finals MVP MJ Phillips and two-time MVP Myla Pablo headline a heavy haul from the disbanded Angels. Meanwhile, Nxled also plucked Aduke Ogunsanya and Aby Maraño from Cignal, adding them to a promising core of young holdovers led by ex-Ateneo star Lyann de Guzman.
Capital1 also moved aggressively to shed its bottom-tier tag. Built around reigning top pick Bella Belen, the Capital1 Solar Spikers added veterans Pauline Gaston and Cherry Nunag and experienced role players to support their franchise cornerstone after a breakthrough quarterfinal run last season.
After back-to-back last-place finishes, Galeries Tower Highrisers opted for a near-total reset, signing 14 new players and installing a new coaching staff. Aiza Pontillas, Erika Raagas and Jules Samonte will spearhead the new-look Highrisers.
The three teams are hoping to go the way of ZUS Coffee and Farm Fresh, two teams who bolted the bottom of the standings and gave the usual heavyweights a run for their money.
And with both squads expected to contend like they did last conference, the All-Filipino is expected to have suspense-filled playdates that will make the battle for the crown even more dramatic.
