The Philippine Men’s National Football Team (PMNFT) will play two friendly matches called Tri-Nations Friendlies against Myanmar and Guam this June. These matches will be part of the team’s preparation for the 2026 ASEAN Championship (Hyundai Cup), which kicks off in July.
Presented by GoTyme Bank, the Tri-Nations Friendlies will be held at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. It is organized by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), with each match scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The fixtures in the Tri-Nations Friendlies are as follows:
- June 3: Philippines vs. Guam
- June 6: Myanmar vs. Guam
- June 9: Philippines vs. Myanmar
Philippines Builds Momentum
The Philippines enter the Tri-Nations Friendlies with renewed confidence following an encouraging run in the 2024 ASEAN Championship, where they reached the semifinals and secured a landmark 2-1 victory over defending champion Thailand.
The win marked the country’s first semifinal triumph in tournament history and its first victory over one of Southeast Asia’s traditional football powers since 1972.
The Philippines also narrowly missed qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup, falling short only on goal difference despite completing the qualifiers undefeated—another sign of the team’s steady rise on the international stage.
The squad continues to rely on a younger core led by Bjorn Kristensen and Sandro Reyes, alongside Zico Bailey, Alex Monis, Raphael Obermair, and the Tabinas brothers, as the team develops a quicker, more aggressive style of play.
PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez emphasized the importance of fully using the FIFA window as the national team builds toward the Hyundai Cup.
“The June FIFA window is extremely important for us because every international match now is part of our long-term preparation for the Hyundai Cup and the continued growth of this new generation of Philippine footballers,” said Gutierrez. “These Tri-Nations Friendlies will allow the coaching staff to strengthen chemistry, test tactical adjustments, and continue developing the identity that this young Philippine team has started to build on the regional stage.”
The June matches are expected to provide crucial minutes and chemistry-building opportunities ahead of the home-and-away ASEAN Championship scheduled from July 24 to August 26.
Familiar Rivals Await the Nationals
The Philippines will first face Guam, a side currently ranked 201st in the world that continues to show steady development despite limited international success.
The two nations last met during the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, where the Filipinos dominated and won by a 7-1 aggregate scoreline. Their most recent single meeting came in June 2021, when the Nationals secured a 3-0 victory in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Myanmar, meanwhile, presents a tougher and more familiar challenge. Ranked 158th globally, the Burmese side held the Philippines to a 1-1 draw during the group stage of the 2024 ASEAN Championship at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The June 9 encounter carries added significance as both countries have been drawn into the same group for the upcoming Hyundai Cup. They are scheduled to meet again on July 28 in Manila to open their regional championship campaigns.
For the PMNFT, the Tri-Nations Friendlies offer more than just warm-up matches—they serve as another opportunity to build momentum and prove that Philippine football’s upward trajectory remains firmly on course.
