By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippine women’s national football team clinched a spot in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup after edging Hong Kong, 1–0, in the qualifiers on Saturday, July 5, at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Chandler McDaniel struck early in the fourth minute to give the Filipinas the lead—a goal that ultimately proved enough, as they held firm defensively until the final whistle.
The victory sealed a perfect 3–0 record for the PH booters in Group G, finishing with nine points.
They join Australia, China, South Korea, Japan and Bangladesh.
The 2026 Asian Cup, set to be held in Australia, marks another milestone in the team’s continued ascent and strengthens their ambitious campaign to qualify for two major global tournaments: the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Filipinas opened their qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia on June 29, followed by a dominant 6-0 rout of host Cambodia on Wednesday, July 2.
