Hanoi, 3 August, 2025 – Philippines women’s national football team has landed in Vietnam to participate in the ASEAN Women’s Cup 2025. The defending champions arrived at Noi Bai International Airport on the morning of August 4 and traveled directly to Viet Tri (Phu Tho), where they will compete in Group B of the tournament.
Head coach Mark Gabriele Torcaso leads a 35-member delegation, including 23 players and 12 staff and officials. However, the squad is missing several key names. Due to the ASEAN Women’s Cup not being part of the FIFA international match calendar, eight players from the squad that recently played in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers are absent.
The most notable omission is star striker Sarina Bolden, who remains sidelined with an ACL injury. Bolden has been a pivotal figure for the Philippines in recent years, and her absence is expected to impact the team’s attacking strength significantly.
Compared to the squad that famously defeated Vietnam 4-0 three years ago, only a few core players remain, including goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, defender Hali Long, and forward Quinley Quezada.
According to the schedule, the Philippines will hold their first training session at the Phu Tho practice ground on the evening of August 4 to acclimatize to local conditions. They will also have a walkthrough at Viet Tri Stadium on August 6, the same day head coach Torcaso will attend the pre-tournament press conference with representatives of other Group B teams.
The Philippines are placed in Group B alongside Timor Leste, Myanmar, and U23 Australia. As the reigning champions, they aim to defend their title, but without several key players, their campaign faces new challenges. Should they progress past the group stage, they may meet hosts Vietnam in what promises to be an exciting semifinal clash.
Kim Chi
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