With an eye on the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Filipinas head coach Mark Torcaso said the team’s participation in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, is primarily about preparing for next year’s global showpiece rather than simply chasing results.
The former Western United coach outlined a broader plan that includes both the Asian Games and an upcoming training camp in Peru as part of the Filipinas’ World Cup buildup, while also giving experienced internationals and young standouts opportunities to prepare for the next level.
“Understanding the players and getting to know the culture. I think now that I’ve been here for three years almost and understanding what Filipino football is about, what the players are about,” said Torcaso, who spoke at a Filipinas event Thursday morning at the Adidas Football Park at the SM Mall of Asia.
“This is a different Asian Games for us, and obviously, we’ve got a World Cup as well that we’re going to, and this Asian Games is all about our preparation for the World Cup.”
While acknowledging the unique challenges of the Asian Games, which falls outside the FIFA international window, Torcaso emphasized that the Filipinas will still aim to go as far as possible.
At the same time, he hopes to use the tournament to blood new players who could take on bigger roles in the program in the coming years, particularly with several veterans unavailable for the campaign.
Experienced players such as Angie Beard, Chandler McDaniel, Sara Eggesvik, and Jessika Cowart will miss the tournament due to a combination of club commitments and injuries.
Leah Bradley and Jackie Sawicki, meanwhile, will join the squad directly in Japan after being released by their clubs at a later date, while Reina Bonta is set to return to the program.
The absences of key veterans have opened opportunities for younger players, including Aiselyn Sia, who impressed for the Philippines at the U-17 level.
Torcaso said the Asian Games will give the coaching staff a chance to evaluate emerging talent against stronger opposition while preparing the team for the World Cup.
(C) AFC
“We want to try and be better than we were at the last Asian Games, which was quarterfinals, but we also understand that it’s out of a FIFA window,” said the 45-year-old.
“We have a lot of players unavailable, and we’re going to work with a lot of our young players and new players to be ready for the ultimate goal of the World Cup. So, we’re really using the Asian Games as an opportunity for our team to grow, to be ready for the World Cup.”
The Asian Games, however, are only one part of the Filipinas’ longer preparation cycle.
Torcaso revealed that the team will head to Peru shortly after the tournament, creating a stretch of matches that he believes can simulate some of the demands of a World Cup campaign.
The Peru camp is expected to present a different challenge, particularly with the country’s high-altitude conditions. Torcaso believes the experience will help the Filipinas adjust to different environments and styles of opposition ahead of Brazil 2027.
“It’s almost like what a World Cup campaign can be like with playing three, four, five, six games in a tournament,” said Torcaso. “So, we’re using the Asian Games and the Peru camp as a combination of games and how we manage players through that. But more importantly, how we manage giving players opportunity against different opponents.
“We’re going to be in Peru, which is a fantastic opportunity because the altitude is going to be extremely high. It tests us potentially like what Brazil could be like. And Peru is a very good opponent.”
Competition for places in the World Cup squad remains a major theme of the current cycle.
Torcaso said he intends to give as many players as possible an opportunity to prove themselves before settling on his final roster.
“My aim is to give everyone a chance to be ready for the World Cup, and if that means 50 players get a chance to come into camp over the next couple of camps for us to pick the best 26, that’s what it will take,” he said.
Despite the emphasis on development, Torcaso insisted that the Filipinas will approach every match with the same standards expected in a World Cup qualifier.
For the coach, the Asian Games and the Peru camp are part of the same objective: building a squad capable of competing at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and giving the Filipinas their best chance of advancing beyond the group stage.
“We’re going to treat all these games as World Cup games as such, and we’re going to try and do the best thing possible to make sure that we play the way that we want to play and focus on what we want to do.”
