Philippines Men’s Football Team Gets ‘Favorable’ Group A Draw

The Philippine men’s football team has been grouped with Tajikistan, Maldives, and Timor-Leste in Group A of the third and final round of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers, following the official draw held Monday at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Azkals, as the national team is known, will face Maldives on March 26 and November 18, 2025. Their matches against Tajikistan are scheduled for June 10, 2025, and March 31, 2026. The team will battle Timor-Leste in back-to-back games on October 9 and 14, 2025.

Matches will follow a home-and-away format, with venues and specific times yet to be announced.

The qualifiers are crucial, as only the winners of each group will advance to the prestigious 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

The Philippines faces formidable competition, with Tajikistan regarded as the toughest opponent in Group A.

Tajikistan, currently ranked 110th by FIFA, boasts a strong record in regional tournaments, while the Maldives and Timor-Leste also bring unique challenges.

Veteran defender Amani Aguinaldo, a 10-year stalwart of the national squad, is expected to lead the Azkals as they prepare for this critical stage. He is part of the 40-man pool gearing up for the ASEAN Football Federation-Mitsubishi Electric Cup Championships later this December, a competition that will serve as a preparatory campaign for the qualifiers.

“This is an exciting group, and we’re ready to give our all,” said Aguinaldo. “We know the challenges ahead, but we’re focused on the goal of making it to Saudi Arabia in 2027.”

Meanwhile, other groups in the qualifiers include a diverse mix of teams. Group B features Lebanon, Yemen, Bhutan, and Brunei Darussalam, while Group C includes India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangladesh. Group D will see Thailand, Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei, and Sri Lanka vying for a spot.

Group E consists of Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Pakistan, and Group F rounds out the competition with Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, and Laos.

Eighteen teams have already secured their places in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, including host Saudi Arabia, alongside heavyweights like Australia, South Korea, Japan, and Iran.

The Azkals are looking to join this elite group, aiming to build on their historic qualification for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, where they made their tournament debut.