Filipinas at the Fifa Women’s World Cup: How they got there and what awaits them

The day 18 months within the making has lastly include the Philippine girls’s soccer workforce hoping to make its mark within the Fifa Girls’s World Cup not simply as mere contributors, however as a squad that might legitimately make a powerful impression towards a few of girls’s soccer’s finest nations.

The outcomes of the workforce will solely be secondary for hardcore followers, who’ve been desperate to see the Filipinas step onto the pitch for the expanded quadrennial meet that may make numerous firsts.

However the workforce will nonetheless attempt to make an impression as they hope to make use of the nation’s first look in soccer’s largest stage to encourage younger dreamers.

HOW THE FILIPINAS QUALIFIED FOR THE WORLD CUP?

The Philippines reached the world stage after a dramatic quarterfinal victory over Chinese language-Taipei sealed its place within the 2023 version as one in every of 4 semifinalists of the continental event.

However the precise highway to the World Cup began in September 2021 when the Philippines defeated Nepal and Hong Kong within the Asian Cup qualifiers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan below coach Marlon Maro, who later handed the reins to Alen Stajcic.

Stajcic guided the Filipinas to a second-place end in Group A behind Australia after wins over Thailand and Indonesia to arrange the memorable face-off with the Taiwanese facet.

It’s the nation’s first look in a soccer World Cup, no matter gender or age stage.

HOW MANY TEAMS ARE IN THE WORLD CUP?

The Filipinas are one in every of 32 groups that may play within the expanded version of Fifa’s premier showcase, including eight extra from the sphere of 24 in the course of the 2019 World Cup in France.

Stajcic’s squad is joined by seven different World Cup debutants, specifically Eire, Portugal, Haiti, Morocco, Panama, Zambia and fellow Southeast Asian facet Vietnam.

Searching for a 3rd straight title is america whereas groups like England, Germany and Spain might spoil that bid.

WHERE IS THE FILIPINAS GROUPED?

The Filipinas had been drawn in Group A alongside co-host New Zealand, Switzerland and Norway following a ceremony held in late-October. All of their video games can be held in New Zealand.

HOW DID THE FILIPINAS PREPARE?

Stajcic used the 18 months to carry camps abroad, specifically america and his dwelling nation of Australia. However the Filipinas additionally traveled to Costa Rica, Chile, Spain to play a collection of friendlies or pocket tournaments.

In the course of the stated interval, the Philippines competed within the 2022 AFF Girls’s Championship at Rizal Memorial Stadium, the Southeast Asian Video games in Vietnam and Cambodia and the primary spherical of the Olympic Qualifying Match in Hisor, Tajikistan.

WHEN WILL THE FILIPINAS PLAY?

Friday’s opener could have the Filipinas meet Switzerland in Dunedin earlier than going through the co-host in an intriguing encounter on July 25 in Wellington. They wrap up the group stage on July 30 in Auckland towards Norway.

The Filipinas will spend most of their coaching in Auckland, which is the place their base camp is situated.

FULL SCHEDULE HERE. 

WHERE ARE THE GAMES GOING TO BE SHOWN?

A final-minute deal between Cignal TV and Fifa allowed the Philippines the possibility to witness all Filipinas video games on free tv by way of One Sports activities on Channel 41 and on the brand new Pilipinas Reside app.

The printed settlement got here amid calls from followers to have a neighborhood media outlet step up and take the TV rights regardless of Fifa’s want to permit greater bids than prior to now.

WHO WERE THE PLAYERS SELECTED TO MAKE THE SQUAD?

Stajcic named 23 gamers to the squad, specifically Sarina Bolden, Hali Lengthy, Olivia McDaniel, Quinley Quezada, Katrina Guillou, Tahnai Annis, Dominique Randle, Angela Beard, Jessika Cowart, Reina Bonta, Ryley Bugay, Sofia Harrison, Carleigh Frilles, Chandler McDaniel, Sara Eggesvik, Jaclyn Sawicki, Malea Cesar, Kiara Fontanilla, Kaiya Jota, Isabella Flanigan, Meryll Serrano, Alicia Barker and Anicka Castaneda.

Inna Palacios, Maya Alcantara and Isabella Pasion had been named as reserves whereas notable gamers Eva Madarang, Jessica Miclat and Kaya Hawkinson had been minimize after the Sydney camp.

HOW MUCH WILL EACH FILIPINAS PLAYER WILL RECEIVE?

All 23 gamers chosen to play for the World Cup will every get at the very least $30,000 (P1.64 million) only for competing within the World Cup, a determine most if not all have by no means loved since they began donning the Filipinas shirt.

The pot can be raised if the Filipinas create a miracle and get previous the group stage.

WHAT OTHER PERKS DID THE FILIPINAS GET?

For entering into the World Cup, the Filipinas and the remainder of the Girls’s World Cup groups grew to become playable groups within the widespread soccer online game Fifa 23 whereas buying and selling playing cards and stickers devoted to the competitors had been additionally launched.

The Filipinas are additionally outfitted by Adidas, who designed blue, purple and white kits for the competitors. The German model, who as soon as sponsored the lads’s workforce a number of a long time in the past, grew to become the workforce’s package provider after a deal was cast in February 2023.

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