Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Director for National Teams Freddy Gonzalez disclosed in a press conference on Monday the upcoming tune-up games of the Philippine Men’s National Team (PMNT) and international home friendlies of the Philippine Women’s National Team (PWNT) in the second half of 2024.
In preparation for the 2024 ASEAN Mitsubishi Cup (formerly AFF Championship), Gonzalez said that the PMNT will participate in the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia in September and King’s Cup in Thailand in October.
He added that the Philippines will play an away friendly versus Hong Kong and a home friendly versus either Brunei or Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), all in November, prior to PMNT’s ASEAN opener versus Myanmar on November 27 at home.
On the women’s side, Gonzalez said that the Filipinas will play home friendly games against yet to be determined opponents on November 29 (two days after PMNT-Myanmar) and December 6 (three days after PMNT-Vietnam home game). Other matches and camps have yet to be scheduled.
Gonzalez disclosed that he will stand as the interim team manager of PWNT, and assured the same quality of management being enjoyed by the men’s team.
“For now, you got me,” the former national team standout said. He explained that “the women’s program is still going to continue as is”
“We’re going to take a look at the processes and everything that these guys have done the last few years to see if any changes need to be made, if anything needs to get better. But we don’t want to… At least my department doesn’t want to break up something that has been working,” he adds, disclosing that he will have a Zoom assessment meeting with the current PWNT lineup and coaching staff on Wednesday.
“You’re still going to see Sarina Bolden and all of them,” Gonzalez assured.
“You can expect that it will be a full month of football from November to early December,” Gonzalez said. “If we go all the way to the final of the Mitsubishi Cup, expect us to play till the end of December.”
According to Gonzalez, the Philippines will battle host Malaysia, Tajikistan, and Lebanon in the Merdeka Cup.
In the King’s Cup, the national team will be pitted against host Thailand, Syria, and Tajikistan—teams that have figured in the knockout stage of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup last January.
PFF President John Gutierrez also disclosed that there will be a PFF Women’s League for 2024.
“There will definitely be a women’s league this year,” Gutierrez said. “We’re looking at two divisions for the women’s league. Rest assured that this is a priority for the Federation. We are looking to capitalize on what our women could do in football.”
Gonzalez has also announced potential overseas Filipino recruits for PMNT, starting with Filipino-Norwegian Bjorn Martin Christensen, who has secured his Philippine passport.
He adds that Filipino-American Major League Soccer and United States under-20 national team standouts are “leaning towards committing to the Philippines” while the eligibility requirements of Nick and Anthony Markanich and Elias Katsaros are currently being processed.
