Filipinas second World Cup stint validates team worth
Hali Long said the Philippine women’s football team’s qualification for the Fifa Women’s World Cup is a testament to its place on the sport’s grandest stage.
The Filipinas secured a second straight World Cup berth after defeating Uzbekistan, 2-0, on Thursday in a play-in match at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Gold Coast, Australia.
“It is another step in the right direction for Philippine women’s football and it shows that we belong on the world stage,” Long said in a video posted by the AFC.
Long and the Filipinas made their World Cup debut in 2023, highlighted by a landmark win over cohost New Zealand in the group stage.
Their bid for a return appearance, however, faced early hurdles in the Asian Cup, where they absorbed 1-0 and 3-0 defeats to host Australia and South Korea in the group stage.
Still, the Filipinas advanced to the quarterfinals as one of the two best third-placed teams after beating Iran, 2-0 and getting a boost from Japan’s 4-0 rout of Vietnam.
Japan eventually ended the Filipinas’ Asian Cup campaign with a 7-0 victory, relegating them to the World Cup play-in.
One of six
The Filipinas will compete in next year’s World Cup in Brazil as one of six Asian representatives, joining Australia, Japan, China, South Korea and North Korea.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino later took to social media to congratulate the Philippines on its qualification.
“After your historic debut and first victory in 2023, I look forward to seeing you return to the global stage once again next year,” Infantino said on Instagram.
