THE government has taken notice of the country’s hosting of the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup after the courtesy call of the national women’s futsal squad on Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman at the Department of Budget and Management office in Manila last Tuesday.
Accompanied by Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez, a Mindanao native like Pangandaman, and PFF executive board member Belay Fernando, Filipina5 members Dionesia Tolentin, Sara Castañeda, Kayla Santiago, Regine Rebosura, and Vrendelle Nuera briefed Pangandaman on the details and significance of the country’s hosting of the global futsal event.
They are members of the PH women’s futsal squad that qualified for the first time in the AFC Futsal Women’s Asian Cup after finishing as the best third-ranked team in the qualifying competition held last month in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The tournament will be held from May 6 to 17 in Hohhot, China with the Nationals bracketed in Group B with defending champion Iran, Vietnam and Hong Kong.
“The DBM recognizes the significance of hosting this prestigious international event and its potential to promote women’s sports and elevate the country’s image on the global stage,” Gutierrez noted.
In his first year as head of the PFF, Gutierrez was able to secure the hosting rights of the maiden Women’s Futsal World Cup during the FIFA Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2023.
Including the Philippines as the host, the tournament, which will be held from Nov. 21 to Dec. 7 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City and the Victorias Coliseum in Victorias, Negros Occidental, will also have 11 of the world’s leading women’s futsal squads competing for the first Futsal Women’s World Cup trophy.
