Filipinas U17 widen talent net with US camp

The Philippine U17 Women’s National Football Team wrapped up a five-day U.S. Talent Identification Camp in California as it steps up preparations for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in Suzhou, China, set for April 30–May 17, 2026.

The camp ran Jan. 30–Feb. 3 at the Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine, California, and drew more than 150 North America-based Filipina players as part of the program supporting the Filipinas U17 build-up to the continental tournament.

The camp also marked the appointment of Nahuel “Naz” Arrarte as head coach of the Filipinas U17.

Arrarte previously served as an assistant coach of the Filipinas senior team during its FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 campaign, and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) said the move adds continuity and international experience as the youth squad builds toward Asia’s top age-group competition.

The official draw for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup will be held Feb. 12, 2026 at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A key component of the program was a structured, standards-based identification framework designed to evaluate and monitor Filipina players across multiple age groups.

The camp welcomed participants born from 2009 to 2011, aligning with the national team’s long-term development strategy and the federation’s effort to create an aligned pathway from youth to senior levels.

The PFF said the initiative is part of its broader push for a consistent and sustainable model for identifying and tracking talent, particularly among the global Filipino diaspora.

Rather than functioning as a one-time selection event, the camp was positioned as a longitudinal monitoring platform that accounts for the non-linear nature of youth development.

The PFF said feedback and evaluations gathered during the camp will form part of an ongoing body of work that will guide future invitations and player development plans.

Participants traveled from across North America, including Washington, D.C., Texas, Alabama, New York, Seattle, Vancouver, and Toronto, highlighting the growing pool of youth players competing at high developmental levels abroad.

“Seeing the depth of talent in the U.S. highlights the scale of what’s available to us as a nation. Programs like this connect homegrown players in the Philippines with Filipina talent abroad through one global platform, creating real pathways across all levels of development,” said Selu Lozano, manager of the Philippine Women’s U-17 National Team.

Over the course of the camp, participants completed 10 on-field sessions led by Arrarte and Lozano.

The program was organized with support from local coordinators, volunteer coaches, families and community partners who assisted with logistics, facilities and player welfare, the PFF said. (PFF)