Filipinas head coach Mark Torcaso expressed optimism despite being drawn into a tough Group A with hosts Australia, South Korea, and Iran for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
The Philippine Women’s National Football Team is gearing up for a challenging journey in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, as the squad aims for back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances.
Drawn into Group A alongside hosts Australia (no. 15), South Korea (no. 21), and Iran (no. 68), the Philippines (no. 41) will have no easy path.
But head coach Mark Torcaso, who was present during the official draw in Sydney, welcomed the challenge.
“Really excited by it, and I know that our players will be up for the challenge. Every team here that has qualified obviously deserves to be here and they’re all going to be difficult opponents. It didn’t really matter who we were going to play, every game is going to be tough, and every game we have to be extremely determined and focused to get an outcome,” Torcaso said in the PFF’s release.
The Filipinas will open their campaign on March 1 against Australia in Perth, followed by matches against Korea Republic on March 5 and Iran on March 8 at the Gold Coast. The tournament doubles as a qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with six direct berths at stake.
With this in mind, Torcaso stressed that the team’s ultimate goal remains clear.
“We are going to do our absolute best to bring World Cup opportunities back to our players and back to our country. We’ll be extremely determined and excited by making sure that we make this happen and we’ll do everything possible over the next few windows to make sure that we’re as prepared as possible,” he said.
Even without top goal scorer Sarina Bolden, the Filipinas are expected to have a strong lineup led by the likes of Sara Eggesvik, Jaclyn Sawicki, Olivia McDaniel, Angela Beard, Jessika Cowart, and Chandler McDaniel.
The Australian mentor, meanwhile, also shared that upcoming competitions, like the AFF Women’s Championship, will serve as a platform to develop young talent.
“This coming AFF tournament is a chance for us to see a lot of our young youth players play. Obviously, with a closed FIFA window, we will give a lot of opportunity to our young players and see where they’re at...so they’re ready for opportunities that come their way for the Asian Cup,” Torcaso explained.
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With memories of their historic World Cup qualification in 2023 still fresh, the Filipinas are looking to pull off another milestone in Philippine football history.
“Playing against the host in front of a big crowd in the first game, along with South Korea and Iran in the group—we’re really excited by this opportunity,” Torcaso concluded.