Young Filipinas draw Bangladesh, Uzbekistan in AFC qualifiers

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

MANILA — The Philippine under-17 women’s national football team will seek a third consecutive appearance in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup after being drawn into Group H of the 2027 qualifying tournament alongside Bangladesh and host Uzbekistan.

The Asian Football Confederation placed the Young Filipinas in a three-team group during Thursday’s official draw in Kuala Lumpur. The qualifiers will be played in a centralized format in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from Oct. 5 to 11, 2026, with only the group winner advancing to the finals in China.

The Philippines is aiming to qualify for the continental tournament for the third straight edition after appearing in the 2024 and 2026 AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup finals.

The Young Filipinas face a difficult path against two nations that have continued to strengthen their women’s football programs in recent years.

“Our Young Filipinas will certainly face tough opposition in the qualifiers as Bangladesh and Uzbekistan are rising powers in women’s football in Asia, as seen in the performance of their senior squads last Women’s Asian Cup in Australia,” Philippine Football Federation President John Anthony Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez said the federation remains committed to assembling a competitive squad capable of returning to the continental championship.

“As such, PFF is committed to sending a strong youth team for the qualification tournament,” he said. “The girls are battle tested against reigning four-time World Cup champion North Korea and continental elite South Korea and with the influx of new and young talents that are being developed by our women’s program, PFF is aiming to be a consistent contender in the U17 Women’s Asian Cup.”

The AFC said 30 teams were drawn into eight qualifying groups, with six groups composed of four teams and two groups consisting of three teams. Each group winner will advance to the 2027 AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup in China, joining defending champion North Korea, runner-up Japan, and semifinalists Australia and China, which qualified automatically. (⁠AFC)

The Philippine coaching staff, led by Selu Lozano, has scheduled a talent identification camp in Irvine, California, on Aug. 3 and 4 as part of its early preparations for the qualifiers.

The camp is expected to evaluate both local and overseas-based players eligible to represent the Philippines at the youth level.

Gutierrez said strengthening the women’s youth development pathway remains one of the federation’s priorities.

“It is imperative for PFF to strengthen the youth programs of the women’s side, as they will be the future backbone of our World Cup contending Filipinas squad. Numerous Filipinas players are products of our U17 program, from the likes of Inna Palacios to the newer generation of youth talent like Alexa Pino, proving that the U17 team is a vital component in PFF’s overall football development program,” Gutierrez concluded.

The PFF has expanded its youth development initiatives in recent years following the Filipinas’ historic qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where the senior national team recorded the country’s first-ever World Cup victory with a 1-0 win over co-host New Zealand. The federation views its U17 and U20 programs as key components in sustaining the country’s long-term competitiveness in women’s football. (PFF)