Filipinas, U23 men receive tough draws for Asian Games football competitions

The Philippine women’s national football team and the Philippine Men’s Under-23 National Team were handed challenging assignments after the group stage draw for the football competitions of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya-Aichi, Japan was held on Thursday.

The Filipinas, fresh from securing back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Cup appearances after qualifying for the 2027 edition, were placed in Group B alongside regional powerhouse China, Uzbekistan, and Hong Kong.

Currently ranked No. 39 in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, the Filipinas will face their toughest test against world No. 16 China. They will also battle No. 51 Uzbekistan and No. 81 Hong Kong as they aim to advance to the knockout stage.

The Philippine Men’s Under-23 National Team, meanwhile, was drawn into Group C with Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Kuwait.

Ranked No. 135 in the FIFA rankings, the Filipinos enter the tournament as the lowest-ranked team in their group. Uzbekistan is ranked No. 50, Vietnam No. 99, and Kuwait No. 133.

The U23 squad secured late qualification to the Asian Games and will have the opportunity to measure itself against some of Asia’s stronger football nations.

The football competitions are scheduled from September 14 to October 3 across seven venues in Japan’s Chubu and Kansai regions.

The Philippine senior men’s national team will also face a busy international schedule in the coming months.

Formerly known as the Azkals, the squad will compete in the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 as it continues its pursuit of a regional championship before shifting focus to the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, scheduled from September 21 to October 6.

The Filipinas enter the continental competition with momentum following another successful World Cup qualification campaign, while the U23 men’s team hopes to gain valuable experience against higher-ranked opponents in its return to the Asian Games.

In the women’s tournament, host Japan leads Group A alongside North Korea, India, and Singapore. Group C features South Korea, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Chinese Taipei, while Group D is composed of Australia, Thailand, Nepal, and Chinese Taipei.

For the men’s competition, Japan headlines Group A with North Korea, Palestine, and Yemen. Group B includes South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia, while Group D consists of China, Iran, Indonesia, and Tajikistan.