For all the world to see

The Philippines’ performance against Asian powerhouse Iran gives officials reason to be optimistic about the women’s team in the World Cup. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

The goal is simple: Whether it is through competition or the hosting itself, the Philippines hopes to make an impression when it brings the Fifa (international football federation) Women’s Futsal World Cup to its shores.

And for the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and the local organizing committee (LOC), that means the national women’s team will compete as hard as it can against top-notch opponents and the world will get a taste of the country’s ability to host a world-level Fifa tournament.

“We’re not just here to participate. We’re here to make an impact,” said PFF president John Gutierrez during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

From Nov. 21 to Dec. 7, the Philippines will join the top futsal nations as they battle for supremacy in two venues: PhilSports Arena in Pasig and the Victorias Coliseum in Negros Occidental. For the host nation, it’s a moment of national pride—but also a mission to reshape women’s football from the grassroots up.

Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez (right) and LOC head of government relations Isabela Fernando at the PSA Forum

With daily meetings with Fifa, infrastructure upgrades in full swing and all systems go for the Sept. 15 tournament draw at BGC Arts Center, Gutierrez said the LOC is “on track” to meet the international standards required for a showcase of this scale.

“We know the standards and what it means to carry the Fifa branding so rest assured, we will make sure that such a standard is met,” said Isabela “Belay” Fernando, the LOC head of government relations.

Volunteers’ program

Fernando also made note of the volunteers’ program that will provide opportunities for the football community to take part in the World Cup.

Participating teams include powerhouses Spain, Brazil, and Japan, along with the debuting Filipina5, who are training under Spanish coach Rafa Merino. The team, currently in a 20-woman pool led by co-captains Inday Tolentin oand Isabella Flanigan, will head to Japan for a training camp in mid-September, with a possible stop in Europe during the October Fifa window. The final roster will include 14 players.

Also among the 16 countries competing are Argentina, Colombia, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Iran, Thailand, Morocco, Tanzania, Canada, Panama and New Zealand.

And while few expect the Filipinas to reach the final, Gutierrez was unapologetically ambitious: “If we see ourselves as mediocre [compared] to these powerhouses, what’s the point of participating?”

Gutierrez cited the country’s performance against heavyweight Iran during the Women’s Futsal Asian Cup, there the Filipina5 lost, 1-0.

“Iran escaped us,” Gutierrez said. “Realistically, we will be competitive [in the World Cup].”