After a quiet 2024, the Filipinas target a booming 2025 as the Philippine women's national football team look to continue the program's recent success.
The Philippine women’s national football team scaled unprecedented heights in the last few years, highlighted by an appearance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 and the country’s first ever regional title with the AFF Women’s Championship in 2022.
But after a relatively quiet 2024, the new year brings about a flurry of competitions that could very well redefine just how successful this current Filipinas program is.
There are three goals for 2025:
- Qualify for the Asian Cup
- Defend the AFF Women’s Championship crown
- Gold medal for the SEA Games
The qualification for the 2026 Asian Cup is particularly important because it also serves as the first step to making it to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
For the Philippines to make the Asian Cup in Australia, the Filipinas will have to finish as one of eight group winners in the qualifying stage.
The draw for the Asian Cup qualification is set for March 21, 2025, where 33 participants will be sorted into the eight groups.
Defending the AFF Women’s Championship won in 2022 is also a must for management, which also entails an expected gold medal in the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand to show true dominance in the ASEAN region.
It is because of these heavy expectations that the pressure has been amped up in the Filipinas camp.
“There has to be pressure, if there is no pressure on us then we become easy in what we do,” Filipinas head coach Mark Torcaso said. “For us it’s about taking that on and doing the best we can to get this team to a World Cup again.”
“The pressure is accepted, we want to be the best that we can for this country.”
Without a friendly to play for during the February international window, the Filpinas decided to convene in Manila for an extensive camp which saw more than 30 players participate.
The camp consisted of 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup veterans, youth team standouts, and new recruits to be assessed and re-assessed by the coaching staff.
Filipinas standouts Sarina Bolden, Katrina Guillou, Sara Eggesvik, and Olivia McDaniel were all present for the nine day camp, while notable recruits Emma Tovar and Kaela Hansen gave the group a new look.
The public was given a better view of the team during an open intra-squad exhibition match last February 25, which coincided with the opening of the new football pitch atop the new SM Mall of Asia Sky.
The squad was split into a more veteran group and one which had most, if not all, the new recruits.
The new girls actually scored first through defender Kaya Hawkinson, who has been in and around the national team scene in the past few years.
Meryll Serrano equalized for the veterans later on, and the match ended up in a draw.
The injection of younger prospects also placed the onus on some of the more familiar names in the team, as they transition into the role of model players to their new teammates.
“I don’t know if people are looking up to me that way,” forward Sarina Bolden said. “[But] it’s surreal, with you even saying there are people looking up to me.”
Keeper Olivia McDaniel quickly added that there are definitely a lot of people looking up to the Italy-based striker.
McDaniel herself says the new faces have added a little edge on the team, knowing that there are more players after their roles in the squad.
“Knowing that we have some young girls breathing down our necks, it’s going to make us and the whole group play a lot better,” McDaniel admitted.
“I think the most important thing is just to stay competitive in each and every training session, day in and day out.”
When asked about the goals and challenges 2025 is set to bring, the girls all understood the magnitude of the task ahead of them.
With a FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance under their belt and regional dominance already secured once before, the expectations are sky high for the Filipinas.
But instead of just feeling the pressure from the staff, fans, and even themselves, Bolden may have said it best when reflecting on the success they had before and want to achieve again.
“I just want more,” Bolden said. “Trying to push for more, trying to reach for higher is ultimately the goal.”
Up next for the Filipinas is a pocket tournament in China involving the host nation, Thailand, and Zambia before the AFF Women’s Championship in the middle of the year.