In just eight months, the Philippines will host the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, welcoming 15 other nations to compete for the prestigious title on home soil.
Speaking on the sidelines of the tournament’s logo launch last Tuesday at Whitespace Manila in Makati, national team member Shai Del Campo expressed her excitement about the opportunity to face top players and showcase the country’s reputation as a world-class host.
The Philippines recently earned praise for successfully staging the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the Volleyball Nations League.
“Sobra,” said Del Campo, a UAAP Season 81 women’s football champion with De La Salle. “I’m very excited. I’m really grateful that the World Cup is happening here. It’s a good opportunity for everyone to see the sport and how we’re going to play.
“With this launch, I guess it just made it really exciting for all countries around the world to be prepared and excited to be here. So yeah, as I mentioned earlier, it’s not just about seeing how we play but also giving them a chance to see how beautiful our country is.”
The 25-year-old has made her mark on the football field, representing the country in major competitions such as the 2019 AFF Women’s Championship and the 19th Asian Games in China during her standout UAAP career.
Recently, however, Del Campo has been actively involved in futsal. She joined Vic Hermans’ Pinay5 squad for its ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship campaign last year at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
Soon after, she was part of Rafa Merino Rodriguez’s squad that secured a spot in the 2025 AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup, hosted by China, after finishing as the best third-placed team in the qualification tournament last January.
Balancing both football and futsal has presented unique challenges, but the former De La Salle Zobel standout is grateful for the opportunity to represent the country in both sports and is eager to help elevate futsal’s profile in the Philippines.
“Of course, I’ve been a football player ever since, but futsal has always been there for me,” she said.
“With this opportunity to play the sport and be part of the first World Cup for futsal here in the Philippines — that’s a great platform to promote the sport in our country.”
As the World Cup draws closer, competition for a spot on the final roster will be intense. On top of that, preparations will ramp up starting with the Asian Cup this May. Hosting a world championship is a rare opportunity, and the team is determined to deliver a respectable performance on home soil.
“The management has been really supportive and helpful,” Del Campo shared. “They’re doing everything they can to provide for us and keep us in good shape. Actually, we’ve been training weekly, and we’re set to travel to another country for a training camp before the May tournament in China.
“I’m not sure if I should say more, but I’m sure you guys will be updated by then.”
#WATCH: Shai Del Campo believes the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025 is a chance to showcase both Philippine women’s football and the beauty of the country 🇵🇭⚽
📹 @ickodeg /Tiebreaker Times#FutsalWWC pic.twitter.com/P1N962LBfp
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 18, 2025
