Filipinas advance to AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals following Japan's win vs. Vietnam

The Philippine women's national football team has moved closer to a return to the FIFA World Cup stage after clinching a spot in the 2026 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals.

The Filipinas earned a QF ticket following Japan's 4-0 thrashing of Vietnam on Tuesday, allowing the Philippines to finish as among the two best third placers in the tournament. 

The Filipinas fell to Australia and South Korea but broke through with a gritty 2-0 win over Iran, ending their group stage run in Group C with a 1-0-2 win-draw-loss record. Their record was not enough to clinch an outright quarterfinals spot, leaving their fate in the hands of other teams. 

2026 AFC Asian Cup Results
March 1: Australia 1-0 Philippines
March 5: South Korea 3-0 Philippines
March 8: Philippines 2-0 Iran

To keep their knockout stage hopes alive, the Filipinas needed Japan to defeat Vietnam by at least three goals after Uzbekistan defeated Bangladesh on Monday, 4-0. The world No. 8 Japanese side delivered just that—and more—after cruising to a 4–0 victory over the Vietnamese, a result that sealed the Philippines’ passage to the quarterfinals.

But it only gets tougher from here for the Filipinas. 

The Philippines will face Japan on March 15 in the quarterfinals. A win will send the Filipinas not only to the semifinals but also to the FIFA World Cup in 2027. A loss, however, will relegate them to the play-in matches.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News