THE Philippine national women’s football team, now ranked no. 41 in the world, was bracketed in Group A of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup 2026, according to the drawing of lots and official groupings done last Tuesday at the Sydney Town Hall in Australia.
The Filipinas will be with host nation and World Cup regular Australia, AFC Cup 2022 runner-up South Korea and Iran.
Australia is the highest-ranked squad in their bracket at no. 15, with South Korea at no. 21 and Iran at no. 68.
The Filipinas are considered solid contenders following their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup participation in New Zealand.
Back then, former coach Allen Stajcic coached the Filipinas to a finals’ appearance in the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship.
Bunched in Group B are reigning champion China, North Korea, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan, while Group C will have third-placer Japan, Vietnam, India, and Chinese Taipei.
Stajcic’s replacement Mark Torcaso was at the draw with other head coaches of the qualified teams.
The Filipinas will be back in the tournament, backed by experience for having joined the qualifiers in the 2018 edition in Jordan and the 2022 tournament in India.
The tournament will prepare the Filipinas for the 2026 edition, to be held in Perth, Australia.
The Filipinas officially secured their spot in the tournament when they swept the qualifiers held in Cambodia, posting a perfect 3-0 record against Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and the host nation.
