Both the Philippine Men’s and Women’s National Football Teams are set to compete in the 20th Asian Games later this year in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. And they can start strategizing and preparing in earnest at the soonest as the draws have been set.
With that being the case, what really are the chances of the men’s and women’s teams to advance to the knockout stage given the groupings they will be in?
Tall Order for the Men’s U-23 Squad in Group C
The Philippine Men’s National Under-23 Football Team returns to the Asian Games for the first time since 1974 after India withdrew from the competition. The young Filipinos have been drawn into Group C alongside Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait.
Right from the start, the Philippines faces a daunting challenge.
The tournament’s group stage will follow a single round-robin format, with only the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage.
The Philippines is the lowest-ranked team in Group C at No. 135 in the FIFA World Rankings. Vietnam is ranked No. 99 and enters the tournament as the 2025 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, is the highest-ranked team in the group at No. 60 and won the bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Games.
Among the three opponents, Kuwait appears to be the Philippines’ most realistic chance for a victory, as it is ranked No. 133 in the world. However, with only two teams advancing from the group, the Philippines will likely need to pull off at least one upset to keep their medal hopes alive.
The other groups in men’s are:
Group A: Japan Thailand Kyrgyzstan Hong Kong
Group B: China United Arab Emirates Iran Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Group D: South Korea Saudi Arabia Qatar
A Real Test of Character for the Filipinas
The Philippine Women’s National Football Team, meanwhile, finds itself in an intriguing Group G alongside China, Uzbekistan, and Hong Kong.
The reigning SEA Games gold medalist will face its toughest test against China, the highest-ranked team in the group at No. 16. China also enters the tournament as the defending Asian Games bronze medalist and a nine-time AFC Women’s Asian Cup champion.
Uzbekistan is ranked No. 51 after reaching the semifinals of the previous Asian Games, while Hong Kong sits at No. 81 in the FIFA rankings.
That said, the world No. 39 Filipinas have a legitimate chance of finishing in the top two of Group G. If they perform to their potential against Uzbekistan and Hong Kong, they are well-positioned to secure a place in the knockout stage and potentially make a run for a podium finish.
The other groups in women’s are:
Group E: Japan Chinese Taipei Vietnam Thailand
Group F: South Korea Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Bangladesh Myanmar
Football competition at the 20th Asian Games will be held from September 14 to October 3 across seven stadiums located in six host cities throughout Japan’s Chubu and Kansai regions.
