Know your team: Philippines
Qualification to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ is another indicator of just how much the Philippines have improved in recent times.
Their debut appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Australia and New Zealand has increased the focus on the women’s game in the country and the Filipinas are showing no signs of slowing.Under the tutelage of Mark Torcaso - who took over from Australian compatriot Alen Stajcic - Philippines breezed through the Qualifiers despite the absence of star forward Sabrina Bolden.
Factfile:
FIFA World Ranking: 39
Head Coach: Mark Torcaso (AUS)
How they got there: Qualifiers Group G winners
Previous appearances: 10
Best placing: S-finals (1)
2022 result: S-finals
Fun fact: Philippines will be making a third consecutive appearance at the Finals after having missed the previous four editions.
Starting off their Qualifiers Group G campaign with a 3-0 win against Saudi Arabia, Philippines followed that up with an emphatic 6-0 success against hosts Cambodia.That set up a tantalising match against Hong Kong, China in their final group match where the Southeast Asian side needed to avoid defeat to go through.
Torcaso’s side left nothing to chance with a Chandler McDaniel goal in the fourth minute sealing their perfect campaign.The canny 44-year-old has now set the target of securing one of the four automatic spots to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027.
“We will be working towards getting us a successful result in the Asian Cup and preparing a good team over the next six to 10 months,” said Torcaso after qualification.
“That’s the ultimate goal (to reach the World Cup). These are the small steps and stages that we need to take to get to the World Cup, and this is one of the first and second steps by getting to the Asian Cup."
“We want to make sure that we give every player the chance to show us their talents.”
It took the Philippines nine attempts before managing to progress out of the group stage at the Finals but Torcaso will draw inspiration from back-to-back knockout stage appearances to power them at Australia 2026.
.png)
