Philippines U17 squad set for 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers

The Philippine men’s under-17 national football team (PMNFT U17) is in Jordan for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers, taking place from Nov. 23 to 30, 2025, at Aqaba Stadium in the southern city of Aqaba.

Grouped in a tough Group E, the Philippines will face Iraq, Bhutan, Australia, and host nation Jordan over four matches.

The team is coached by Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Head of Youth Development Tetsuya Tsuchida, with Taketomo Suzuki serving as assistant coach.

The 23-player squad called up for the qualifiers includes:

1. Brian Jacob Angrish
2. Frank Beckham Bacara
3. John Lawrence Binalong
4. Zechariah Kish Casillano
5. Zavier Abehs Castañares
6. Rommy Dayandayan
7. Reign Lewis Deomampo
8. Leonardo Joshua Garcia
9. Ryan Gabriel Gocheco
10. Alexander Peter Benedict Lomibao
11. Aarran Thomas Long
12. Sebastian Luna
13. Joshua Gabriel Moleje
14. Tobias Paulino
15. Francis Benedict Poticano
16. Edgar Jr. Renopal
17. Jaime Rafael Sandejas
18. Ellai Neiman Siao
19. Nathan Levi Siao
20. Manuel Enrique Simpao
21. Filbert Martin Tacardon
22. Jordan Douglas Allen Villanueva
23. Johann Alexander Wicklein

The Philippines’ match schedule (Philippine time) is:

• 23 – PMNFT U17 vs Iraq, 12 midnight
• 25 – PMNFT U17 vs Bhutan, 12 midnight
• 28 – PMNFT U17 vs Australia, 9 p.m.
• 30 – PMNFT U17 vs Jordan, 9 p.m.

Group E will pose a major challenge for the young Azkals, as they face three title-winning teams.

Australia, the reigning three-time ASEAN U17 champion, defeated Thailand in a penalty shootout in last year’s final. The Young Socceroos have also earned three bronze medals in the U17 Asian Cup and were runners-up in the 1999 U17 FIFA World Cup.

Iraq, champions of the 2016 U17 Asian Cup, bring extensive experience with three West Asian regional titles and two U17 World Cup finals appearances.

Jordan, while lacking World Cup pedigree, won the West Asian Football Federation U17 Championship in 2022, proving their regional strength.

Bhutan, considered the underdog, reached the semifinals of the 2017 South Asian Football Federation U15 Championship — their highest achievement to date.

The Philippines is aiming to build on its historic showing in the last qualification cycle, where it finished second in its group for the first time, registering wins over Macau and Cambodia in October 2024.