Filipinas head coach Mark Torcaso has outlined a strategic preparation plan for the team’s return to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, one that will take the squad across four continents before June 2027 as they aim to improve on their 2023 campaign and advance beyond the group stage.
The Filipinas’ rise has been steadily building, highlighted by their historic SEA Games gold medal and followed by their campaign in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which served as an important litmus test against Asia’s elite. Both milestones form part of a broader, deliberate build-up to the World Cup, giving Torcaso and his coaching staff a clearer picture of where the squad stands as preparations for Brazil intensify.
After demanding campaigns in the SEA Games and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which tested the team against different styles and levels of competition, the Filipinas regrouped in San Diego to recalibrate and begin the next phase of their preparations, laying the foundation for their road to Brazil 2027.
Torcaso, who is in the Philippines this week to scout homegrown talent, said the Federation’s “full support” has been instrumental in shaping a campaign focused on exposing the team to as many different styles of play and levels of competition as possible ahead of the World Cup.
PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to Torcaso’s long-term plan.
“Coach Torcaso’s preparation framework reflects a deliberate, intensive approach which PFF believes is essential to competing at the highest level,” Gutierrez said. “We are fully committed to giving him and the Filipinas every resource they need to be ready when the World Cup begins in Brazil.
“This is our opportunity to go again, and we just want to show the world that we’re going to do this again and, more importantly, we’re going to do it our way,” Torcaso said.
“We’re here to create our own path and chance to do well in this next World Cup.”
The Australian coach continued that preparation with a training camp in San Diego last month, providing an opportunity to reassess the player pool and evaluate additional talent for the future. The Filipinas faced club sides San Diego Wave and Albion San Diego with a 30-player roster that included several returning players as well as newly identified prospects.
“Every camp and every opportunity we’ve got is strategically organized in a way so we’re going to be ready for this World Cup,” Torcaso explained, noting that the matches were deliberately arranged to test the team’s depth.
His visit to Manila, timed to coincide with the opening of the PFF Women’s League this weekend, also allowed him to reconnect with Philippine-based players. Torcaso added that he intends to personally scout Filipina talent playing across Southeast Asia, including in leagues in Myanmar and Taiwan.
(C) PFF
“I want to make sure that we give everyone an opportunity to be part of this World Cup, and I don’t want to miss out on anyone,” he said.
“Every player, regardless if you’re in the Philippines or playing in Myanmar or playing in Europe somewhere, I want to give everyone a chance.”
The preparation schedule also includes the Asian Games in Japan this September, where Torcaso will once again lead the Filipinas following their historic quarterfinal finish in 2023. Although the tournament falls outside the FIFA international window and will limit the availability of foreign-based professionals, he believes it remains a valuable proving ground.
“The main objective in this Asian Games is obviously to go as far as we can, but it’s also for us as coaches and the country to test some players at a tough level to see if they’ll be ready for the World Cup,” he said.
Looking further ahead, Torcaso confirmed that the Filipinas will maximize every remaining FIFA international window before June 2027.
The schedule includes a trip to South America in October, matches against Asian and Oceanian opposition to close out 2026, the Pinatar Cup in Spain in February 2027, and the Olympic qualifying tournament in April 2027, which will feature a home-and-away format.
The campaign will conclude with an extended four-to-six-week training camp in Brazil before the World Cup.
Throughout the process, Torcaso credited the Federation for responding to his requests for specific opponents and training environments.
“The Federation–through President Gutierrez and General Secretary Gelix Mercader–have been very accommodating and supportive in our preparations,” he said, adding that sponsors and government agencies such as the Philippine Sports Commission have also backed the program.
Torcaso closed by appealing directly to Filipina supporters around the world, recalling the atmosphere the team experienced during the 2023 SEA Games in Chonburi.
“Any country that we go to, I just really express that if we can have as much support and fans to come out and be part of our journey — everyone here, every time we have a camp here in the Philippines, come and watch the girls,” he said.
“Trust me, they play so much better when they feel that love and support from everyone.”
