Sports tourism has emerged as one of the most dynamic and rapidly expanding sectors of the global tourism industry, integrating leisure travel with participation in or observation of sporting activities. In the Philippine s, Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo is widely known as the “Football Capital of the Philippines” with its long -standing football tradition, production of national athletes, and active grassroots programs embedded in community life . Despite this strong cultural foundation, Barotac Nuevo’s potential as a sports tourism destination remains underutilized. This study examines football as a sports tourism attraction in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, known as the “Football Capital of the Philippines,” with the aim of informing local tourism planning and policy. Using a quantitative descriptive – correlational design, da ta were collected from 384 respondents representing key stakeholder groups, including local government units, business sectors, residents, tourists, and football enthusiasts. A structured questionnaire measured tourism potential, perceived economic, social , and environmental impacts, and development constraints. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one – way ANOVA, and Pearson’s r. Findings indicate that football is perceived as a high to very high potential tourism attraction, with social impacts emerging as the most prominent dimension. Significant differences were observed across stakeholder groups, and strong positive relationships were found between perceived tourism potential and its impacts. While local records and stakeholder perceptions su ggest increasing interest in football – related tourism activities, this trend should be interpreted with caution due to limited longitudinal data. Key constraints identified include limited funding, weak marketing strategies, and inconsistent event programm ing. The study highlights football’s capacity to support sustainable tourism development in Barotac Nuevo and underscores the need for coordinated planning, infrastructure investment, and stakeholder collaboration. These findings contribute to evidence – bas ed tourism policy and local destination development strategies.

Keywords: sports tourism, football tourism, stakeholder analysis, sustainable tourism, Barotac Nuevo , Iloilo