Filipinas excited to play in front of home crowd as AFF Women's Championships open in Manila

Five months after securing qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Philippine Women’s National Football Team will finally come home and play in Manila in the AFF Women’s Championships 2022.

The Philippines play host to this regional tournament, which will be held from July 4 to 18.

The Filipinas are bracketed in Group A alongside Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, and will play all their group stage matches at the historic Rizal Memorial Football Center in downtown Manila.

Here are five things to watch out for in the AFF Championships.

1 Filipinas Come Home

After traveling the globe, from the training camps in California, USA to Sydney, Australia, from competing in the SEA Games in Vietnam to playing international friendlies in Europe, the Filipinas will finally come home and play a tournament in home soil.

And fans will get the chance to show their appreciation and gratitude to the team, who have continually made history and are currently ranked at an all-time high of 53rd in the world.

This marks the first time since the Filipinas will play in the country since the 2019 SEA Games, and fans will be expected to come in droves to cheer the team on to more glory.

2 Filipinas’ Long-Term Goal

Expectations will be understandably high for the Filipinas to do well in the tournament.

Coming off a bronze medal finish in the recently concluded SEA Games in Hanoi, and especially coming off impressive friendly victories against Bosnia in Europe, fans will be expecting at least a podium finish in the tournament.

But, as Coach Alen Stajcic explains in a zoom media interview, while the AFF tournament is significant, it is also another step in the preparation to the World Cup.

“The AFF is an important tournament, but I've always got one eye on the World Cup and we've said right from the outset that, and the players are well aware of this, is that one of the main goals of this team is to build the depth of the team”, he explains.

“Not only for cover within the team for tournaments like this, but to put pressure on positions and we want 27-28 competing for those final 23 jerseys for the World Cup.”

“We need that internal rivalry and players knowing that they have to perform to keep earning their jersey.”

3 New faces for the Filipinas

After impressing in the Asian Games, fans will finally get to see the likes of Olivia McDaniel, Katrina Guillou, Sofia Harrison and Dom Randle live for the first time.

Dom Randle, in particular, is looking forward to playing in front of home fans for the first time.

“It's really exciting. I know when we first found out that the tournaments we were going to, this one was one that I particularly had circled,” said Randle.

“I know I'm really excited and looking forward to playing in front of family (and fans) who don't really get a chance to come live to any of our competitions.”

Fans will also understandably look forward to seeing Jackie Sawicki, Sara Eggesvik and Jessie Cowart as well, who both have impressed in the Filipinas’ friendly victories in Europe.

4 New appreciation for the familiar faces

Of course, it promises to be a great homecoming for the veterans in the team as well.

Captains Hali Long and Inna Palacios will look to provide the leadership for the team, who will play a grueling five games in nine days.

Quinley Quezada admits that “playing at home giving us more motivation”, and will look to add to her tally of 16 international goals as she steps plays once again on home soil, with strike partner Sarina Bolden leading the line up front.

Veterans Eva Madarang and Cam Rodriguez are also expected to provide leadership and will undoubtedly receive the fans’ love as well.

5 Fans to show Filipinas the love

All the team members are one in expressing their excitement at the chance to play in front of Filipino fans in home soil, and it is very much expected that the feeling is mutual.

The Ultras Filipinas for one, are expected to lead the cheers in the stadium.

“It means a lot to us (to be able to support the team live) because they served as a beacon of hope to Philippine football and women empowerment in our country,” they said.

“We will support them to win, and also as a gesture of gratitude for what they've achieved.”

“We'll make them feel at home and we'll make sure every player in that pitch will feel that extra support.”

The Philippines will play their opening group stage match against Australia on July 4 at 7pm at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

—JMB, GMA News