Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19) — The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) said it is planning to host a pocket tournament featuring the women’s national team.
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This is in preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup which will be held in Australia and New Zealand.
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PFF president Nonong Araneta said they started to discuss the plan right after the Filipinas’ historic 2022 AFF Women’s Championship title run, where more than 8,000 people witnessed the national squad dominate Thailand in the finals, 3-0.
“Our plan is before we go to the World Cup, we plan to hold a four-nation tournament here,” he said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum Tuesday.
The PFF is looking at holding the event on a natural grass field, which will be the playing surface in the coming World Cup.
Araneta said they will be inviting teams which will not be grouped with the Philippines in next year’s event.
“We are looking at a natural grass pitch because we will be playing in natural grass in Australia and New Zealand,” he said.
“We might invite some teams that have qualified for the World Cup to play here which is not part of our group in the draw,” he added.
The four-nation pocket tournament will take place either at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan or the New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
“We are looking at, hopefully, Bulacan which is natural grass and Clark which is also a natural grass pitch,” Araneta said.
