Whether Petro Gazz will return to defend its crown in the coming 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference as a franchise or form a “joint venture” with another club will be known this week.

Talks of a merger between the Angels and Nxled came up following the earlier disbandment of Chery Tiggo last month, which trimmed the field to just 11 clubs.

However, PVL president Ricky Palou told the DAILY TRIBUNE on Sunday that the league nipped the idea of the two clubs merging along with their active players, citing parity and fairness.

“What happened was they went into a joint venture in business. So, they wanted to combine Nxled team and Petro Gazz team but that would be unfair to the other teams. We didn’t allow that,” he said in a phone interview.

“We told them what if Choco Mucho and Creamline or PLDT and Cignal would do the same? It would be unfair to other clubs without sister teams. We cannot allow that. We won’t allow that because it will be unfair.”

Palou said that the year-opening tournament may end up with just 10 teams if Petro Gazz, which won a breakthrough AFC crown last year at the expense of Creamline before reclaiming the Reinforced Conference last November, proceeds with the venture.

“It will depend on Petro Gazz if they’ll continue to participate as a team. But I think what Petro Gazz would do is disband its team and just sponsor Nxled to go ahead with their joint venture,” he explained. 

The league expects to receive Petro Gazz’s formal decision on the matter within the week. 

“So far, that’s my understanding. But we’re waiting for them to formally inform us. So, we may end up with 10 teams in the next conference,” Palou said of the development, with just a few weeks left before the AFC opens tentatively on 31 January.

“I think they’ll end up sponsoring Nxled and their players will become free agents — if ever Petro Gazz decides to disband.”

If the Angels push through their plan to back the Chameleons, they will have to release their active players to free agency, allowing other interested clubs to also lobby offers, according to Palou.

“Those players should become free agents,” he said.

Petro Gazz has been a perennial contender since joining the league in 2018. The Angels have won four championships, with three coming from the import-flavored conference.

The team boasts of top talents led by three-time Most Valuable Player Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo, MJ Phillips, young setter Julyana Tolentino, Jonah Sabete and Bang Pineda.

The Angels have already parted ways with Joy Dacoron, Chie Saet, who signed with Strong Group Athletics, and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas.