THE Filipinas will be going all-out to make history once more in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Fresh from its first-ever Southeast Asian Games gold medal last December, the Philippine women’s football team now sets its sights on a much tougher competition in the Asian Cup where slots in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil are at stake.
Head coach Mark Torcaso believes in his team’s ability to return to the World Cup after its maiden campaign in 2023, one of the greatest milestones the squad achieved over the years.
“We had a goal at the SEA Games and we’ve got a goal here and that’s to get out of our group,” he said.
The Filipinas are facing a daunting task in the Women’s Asian Cup, where they are in Group A, along with Australia, whom they will face on opening day on March 1 in Perth.
The Philippines is also up against South Korea in a semifinal rematch from three years ago on March 5 then Iran on March 8.
“We saw the SEA Games when they put their minds together and us as a group of coaches and put our minds together, we believe that we can do really good things here,” Torcaso said.
“So we want to create another little bit of history. We want to get out of the group. We know how tough it’s going to be.”
Filipinas' tall task
Getting out of the group means the Philippines need to be among the top two teams in Group A, then become one of the two best third-placers in the tournament.
Six teams among the quarterfinalists will gain outright spots in the Women’s World Cup, with the other two vying for berths through an inter-confederation playoff.
The return of three-time champion North Korea after withdrawing from the qualifying stage of the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup due to the pandemic will also play a factor in the Philippines’ chances of making it to the Magic 6.
“North Korea has come back into this Asian Cup. Obviously, (they are) not hosting the World Cup, so they’re all playing here as well and it does become a greater challenge than the previous Cup," said Torcaso.
"We know how hard it's going to be, so we just need to make sure that we’re ready and we’re going to be 100-percent focused, ready to get out of the group.”
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