Philippines national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Philippines

Association	Philippine Football Federation
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	AFF (Southeast Asia)
Head coach	Albert Capellas
Captain	Neil Etheridge
Most caps	Phil Younghusband (108)
Top scorer	Phil Younghusband (52)
Home stadium	Rizal Memorial Stadium
FIFA code	PHI
First colors
FIFA ranking
Current	123 7 (February 7, 2019)
Highest	111 (May 2018)
Lowest	195 (September – October 2006)
Elo ranking
Current	172 2 (3 March 2019)
Highest	136 (June 16, 2015)
Lowest	218 (January 2000, December 2002, November 2006)
First international
Philippines 2–1 China  (Manila, Philippines; February 4, 1913)
Biggest win
Japan 2–15 Philippines  (Tokyo, Japan; May 10, 1917)
Biggest defeat
Japan 15–0 Philippines  (Tokyo, Japan; September 28, 1967)
Asian Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2019)
Best result	Group stage (2019)
AFC Challenge Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 2006)
Best result	Runners-up (2014)
ASEAN Championship
Appearances	12 (first in 1996)
Best result	Semi-finals (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018)
Medal record Men's association football Representing  Philippines AFC Challenge Cup Silver 2014 Maldives Team Bronze 2012 Nepal Team

The Philippines national football team is the official football team for the Philippines. It is managed by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF). The team has been playing international matches since 1913.

Before World War II, the Philippines often played against teams from Japan and China in the Far Eastern Championship Games. So far, the national team has never played in the FIFA World Cup. They have qualified for the AFC Asian Cup only once, in 2019. In 2014, they finished second in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup, losing to Palestine in the final game.

In most of Southeast Asia, football is the most popular sport. However, in the Philippines, basketball and boxing are more popular. This is because of the country's history under American rule. This means that many talented athletes choose other sports, which makes it harder for football to succeed in the country. Often, the Philippines team would get knocked out early in the AFF Championship.

But since the 2010 AFF Championship, the country has been trying to make football more popular. They are working to improve football development and get more fans. This effort led to the team playing in their first big tournament, the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

History of Philippine Football

Early Years (1910s–1940s)

The national team at the 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games.

The Philippines took part in the Far Eastern Championship Games, which included football. The first games were in 1913, and the last were in 1934. These games were the first regional football tournament for national teams outside of Europe. The Philippines team often played against Japan and China. They also played against the Dutch East Indies once.

In the first tournament in 1913, the Philippines beat China 2–1. In the 1917 games, the team had its biggest win ever. Led by the famous Filipino-Spanish player Paulino Alcantara, the Philippines beat Japan 15–2.

After the Far Eastern Championship Games ended, the team played in the 1940 East Asian Games. These games were held to celebrate the 2600th anniversary of the Empire of Japan. The team finished third, behind Japan and Manchukuo.

Football's Decline (1950s–1990s)

In the 1950s, the Philippines hosted friendly matches with international teams. However, the national team did not have enough money and was not often shown in the news. During this time, many players came from the Manila Football League, which was supported by the Chinese-Filipino community. The team did well at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, beating Japan 1–0. The Japanese news called this a big surprise.

After 1958, Philippine football started to decline. Many key players left the national team because they didn't get paid enough. Players like Ed Ocampo and Eduardo Pacheco switched to basketball, where they could earn money playing for clubs. A new rule in the Philippines, called the 60-40 rule, limited how many foreign players (including Chinese-Filipino players) a team could have. This caused sponsors to leave and leagues to struggle. This rule was removed much later, after 1982.

The national team suffered big losses in the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. This included a 15–1 defeat to Malaysia, which was their worst loss at the time. This record was broken in 1967 when they lost 15–0 to Japan during the qualifiers for the 1968 Summer Olympics. To try and stop these big losses, foreign coaches were hired.

In 1971, coach Juan Cutillas brought in five foreign players (four from Spain and one from China) to play for the national team. The team played in several international competitions and even caused some upsets against teams like Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea. However, the team declined again when the Spanish players left due to money problems, and basketball became even more popular.

In 1991, under German coach Eckhard Krautzun, the national team finished fourth at the Southeast Asian Games. This was their best finish ever in that tournament. The Philippines beat defending champions Malaysia 1–0, which knocked Malaysia out of the group stage. Norman Fegidero scored the only goal for the Philippines.

The 2000s: A New Start

In September 2006, the Philippines' FIFA ranking dropped to its lowest ever, 195th. By the end of that year, they moved up to 171st after doing well in the 2007 ASEAN Football Championship qualification. They won three games in a row for the first time, which helped them qualify for the 2007 ASEAN Football Championship.

The Philippines didn't reach their goal in the tournament, getting only one draw in three matches. Because of this, their coach, Aris Caslib, resigned. The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) decided not to enter the qualification rounds for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They wanted to focus on local and regional competitions instead.

In 2009, businessman Dan Palami became the team manager. He invested his own money into the team. He had a plan called "Project 100," which aimed to get the team into the top 100 in the FIFA rankings. More players who were born in other countries but had Filipino roots were asked to play for the team.

The national team (in blue) playing against North Korea (in red) in Pyongyang in 2015. The game ended in a 0–0 draw.

The 2010s: Rise of the Azkals

Players of the national team celebrating their first qualification ever for the AFC Asian Cup after beating Tajikistan 2–1 in 2018.

The Philippines' journey in the 2010 AFF Championship was a big turning point. They had to qualify for the tournament, but they made it out of the group stage for the first time without losing a single game. Their win against defending champions Vietnam was a huge surprise, called the "Miracle of Hanoi" by fans. This match is seen as the start of a football comeback in the Philippines. In the knockout stage, they played both their home and away games against Indonesia in Jakarta because there wasn't a suitable stadium in the Philippines. They lost both games.

In 2011, Michael Weiß became the head coach. The team qualified for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and got their first ever win in FIFA World Cup qualification, beating Sri Lanka 4–0.

In 2012, the Philippines reached the semifinals of the AFC Challenge Cup for the first time. They beat former champions India and Tajikistan. They lost 2–1 to Turkmenistan in the semifinal but won 4–3 against Palestine in the third-place playoff. The Philippines also won the 2012 Philippine Peace Cup, a friendly tournament they hosted. This was their first title since the 1913 Far Eastern Games. At the 2012 AFF Championship, they reached the semifinal again but lost to Singapore.

Etheridge

De Murga

Villanueva

Rota

Sato

Ingreso

Ma. Ott

Mi. Ott

Bahadoran

Ramsay

P. Younghusband (C)

The starting lineup of the Azkals in their Asian Cup qualifiers match against Tajikistan.

The Philippines reached the final of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. They lost 1–0 to Palestine on May 30, which meant they missed out on a spot in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. They again made it out of the group stage at the 2014 AFF Championship, beating Indonesia and Laos. They faced Thailand in the semifinal, drawing at home but losing the away match in Bangkok.

Thomas Dooley became the new head coach. In October 2015, they beat Yemen 2–0 in Doha, Qatar. This was their first ever World Cup qualifier win away from home. Their World Cup dream ended in the second round, but they moved on to the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers.

In late 2016, the Philippines co-hosted the group stage of the 2016 AFF Championship with Myanmar. However, they failed to get past the group stage this time.

Philippines in their first tournament at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Even though the team didn't qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, they secured their spot in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup by beating Tajikistan 2–1 at home in their last qualifier match. In May 2018, the team reached its highest ever FIFA ranking at 111th.

The Philippines made their historic debut in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. They lost 0–1 to South Korea, then 0–3 to China, and were edged 1–3 by Kyrgyzstan. Stephan Schröck scored the team's first historic goal in the tournament.

Recent Years (2020–Present)

After their first Asian Cup, the Philippines started their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification journey. They were in a group with Syria, China, Guam, and the Maldives. In their first game, they lost 5–2 to Syria at home. After that, they won two away games against Guam and the Maldives. They also had an impressive 0–0 draw against China at home, thanks to their goalkeeper Neil Etheridge. However, Syria beat them again 1–0.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the games were moved to 2021 and played in one place in Sharjah. The Philippines beat Guam 3–0 but lost 0–2 to China, which meant they didn't qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They ended their qualification with a 1–1 draw against the Maldives. Still, finishing third in their group meant they qualified for the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

In the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in Ulaanbaatar, the Philippines drew 0–0 with Yemen and beat hosts Mongolia 1–0 with a last-minute goal by Gerrit Holtmann. However, they lost 4–0 to Palestine. Even though they finished second in their group, they were the "worst runner-up" among all the groups, so they didn't qualify for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

In January 2024, long-time general manager Dan Palami stepped down. On February 26, 2024, the Philippine Football Federation announced they would stop using the nickname "Azkals" after twenty years. This is part of the new management's plan.

Team Identity

Supporters

Fans of the national team during a friendly game in Germany in 2011.

Some fans have created groups to support the national team, like Ultras Filipinas, which started in 2011. The Kaholeros began as friends on Twitter asking fans to watch games together. Ultras Filipinas was formed when fans of other teams decided to create a support group for all Philippine national teams, not just football. The two fan groups take turns cheering and chanting for the team during games.

Team Colors and Kits

Kit suppliers of the Philippine national team
Company	Dates
Puma	1996
Adidas	1996–2004
Asics	2005
Adidas	2006
Mizuno	2008–2012
LGR	2012
Puma	2012–2015
LGR	2015–2021
Kelme	2021–2023
Chronos (as Azkals Sportswear)	2023–2024
Puma	2024–present

The team's traditional home kit is blue jerseys, white shorts, and red socks. This is similar to the French national team. Recently, the home and away kits have been all-blue, all-red, or all-white. Currently, the home jerseys are all-white. The team's current kit supplier is the German sportswear company Puma. In the past, Adidas and Japanese company Mizuno also supplied kits.

Puma was the official outfitter for the team in 1996. Later that year, Adidas took over. For three years starting in March 2008, Mizuno supplied the team's gear and helped with youth development programs. On June 4, 2012, Puma became the supplier again.

In 2015, local company LGR Sportswear became the official kit provider. New kits were shown on June 5 and used for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The home kit was white, and the away kit was blue. They featured Filipino weave designs and the three stars and sun from the Philippine flag on the back. Adidas also sponsored the team's footwear for the qualifiers.

Spanish sportswear brand Kelme became the official kit provider in 2021. In June 2022, the team used kits made by Chronos Athletics because the Kelme kits arrived late. After Kelme's contract ended in January 2023, Chronos Athletics became the new official supplier. In March 2023, a concept shirt design went viral on TikTok, and the team decided to use it. Chronos Athletics remained the supplier, and the design was distributed under a brand called Azkals Sportswear.

In a recent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Iraq, the Philippines wore new kits from Puma. On May 3, 2024, the team announced a four-year partnership with Puma until 2028.

Team Nicknames

Logo of Azkals Philippines

Crest

The nickname Azkals was used in broadcasts but not officially by the federation after 2024.

The team's official abbreviation used by FIFA and other football organizations is PHI. This stands for Philippines. The team was also known as "RP," which stood for Republika ng Pilipinas. Local news often called them "RP Booters" or "RP XI." In late 2010, the Department of Foreign Affairs changed the official abbreviation to "PH" or "PHL" to match international standards. Since then, the local news has used "PH/PHL Booters" or "PH/PHL XI."

They were also sometimes called the "Tri–Stars," because of the three stars on the Philippine flag, but this name wasn't used very often.

The national team is most famously known as the "Azkals." This name came from an online football community that suggested "Calle Azul" (Spanish for "Streets of Blue," referring to their blue uniforms). This was changed to "Azul Calle," then shortened to "AzCal," and finally became "Azkal." The word "Azkal" sounds like the Filipino word Askal, which means "street dog." "Azkals" became very popular on Twitter during the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup semifinals. The PFF officially used this name until 2023. In February 2024, the federation confirmed they would no longer use the "Azkals" name.

Home Stadiums

In the early days, the Philippine national team played home matches at the Manila Carnival Grounds. By 1934, this became the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. The 12,000-seat Rizal Memorial Stadium has been the main home venue for the team. In May 2015, the team announced the 25,000-seat Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan as their new home. However, because not many fans came to games at these stadiums, the PFF decided to make Panaad Stadium the team's home again for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

The Rizal Memorial Stadium is also used for track and field events. This, along with poor upkeep, has caused the stadium to get old and worn out. The 1991 Southeast Asian Games was the last time it was used for international football matches for a while. In 2009, there were plans to make it a modern football stadium again.

The national team has also played official international matches at the Cebu City Sports Center in Cebu City and the Barotac Nuevo Plaza Field in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.

Philippines national football team home stadiums
Image	Stadium	Capacity	Location	Last match
	Philippine Sports Stadium	20,000	Santa Maria, Bulacan	v   Thailand (November 25, 2016; 2016 AFF Championship)
	Rizal Memorial Stadium	12,873	Manila	v   Iraq (March 26, 2024; 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification)
	Panaad Stadium	10,500	Bacolod	v   China (October 15, 2019; 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification)
	Cebu City Sports Center	5,500	Cebu City	v   Malaysia (April 27, 2014; Friendly)

Team Personnel

Updated as of August 29, 2024

Current Coaches and Staff

Role	Name
Technical Director	Josep Ferré
Head coach	Albert Capellas
Assistant coaches	Norman Fegidero
	Queraldo Maocog
	David Malupig
	Javier Melupaño
Goalkeeping coach	Eduard Sacapaño
Physical coach	Aristotle Andrey
Analysts	Garrath McPherson
	Jerry Robledo
	Terry Mojica
Masseurs	Alexander Gamat
	Kevin Conejos
Physiotherapists	Augustine Rivas
	Jamie Trespicio
Doctor	Lawrence Irving Bernardo

Management Team

Role	Name
Team manager	Freddy Gonzalez
Team coordinator	Jose Mikkel Jethmal Paris
Kitmen	Joebert Reamon
	Alfe Sebuha
Travel manager	Allan Salvador
Travel coordinator	Rellyn Anne Makiling

Coaching History

Dionisio Calvo, one of the earliest head coaches for the national team.

One of the first head coaches of the national team was Dionisio Calvo. The team has been led by coaches from many countries, including America, Argentina, England, Germany, Scotland, Spain, and Sweden. Juan Cutillas has coached the team four different times.

Thomas Dooley led the team to its best finish in a tournament approved by the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA. He guided them to second place in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. Recent coaches like Simon McMenemy, Michael Weiß, and Thomas Dooley also helped the team reach the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup in 2010, 2012, and 2014. Eckhard Krautzun also led the team to the semifinals of the 1991 Southeast Asian Games before football became a tournament for players under 23 years old.

Team Players

Current Squad

The following 21 players were chosen for the match against  Hong Kong on November 14, 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are updated as of November 14, 2024, after the match against  Hong Kong.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Mendoza, Kevin RayKevin Ray Mendoza	(1994-09-29) September 29, 1994 (age 30)	12	0	Persib Bandung
15	1GK	Kammeraad, QuincyQuincy Kammeraad	(2001-02-01) February 1, 2001 (age 24)	0	0	One Taguig
16	1GK	Deyto, PatrickPatrick Deyto	(1990-02-15) February 15, 1990 (age 35)	18	0	Kaya–Iloilo
2	2DF	Menzi, AudieAudie Menzi	(1994-10-11) October 11, 1994 (age 30)	7	1	Kaya–Iloilo
3	2DF	Tabinas, PaulPaul Tabinas	(2002-07-05) July 5, 2002 (age 22)	10	0	Vukovar 1991
4	2DF	Tabinas, JeffersonJefferson Tabinas	(1998-08-07) August 7, 1998 (age 26)	19	2	Buriram United
6	2DF	Linares, KikeKike Linares	(1999-07-12) July 12, 1999 (age 25)	6	0	Lamphun Warriors
12	2DF	Aguinaldo, AmaniAmani Aguinaldo	(1995-04-24) April 24, 1995 (age 30)	63	0	Rayong
14	2DF	Kempter, MichaelMichael Kempter	(1995-01-12) January 12, 1995 (age 30)	5	0	Grasshopper
21	2DF	Rublico, SantiagoSantiago Rublico	(2005-08-18) August 18, 2005 (age 19)	12	0	Collado Villalba
7	3MF	Woods, ScottScott Woods	(2000-05-07) May 7, 2000 (age 25)	7	0	Muangthong United
8	3MF	Ott, MannyManny Ott	(1992-05-06) May 6, 1992 (age 33)	65	4	BG Tampines Rovers
11	3MF	Peña, JaxJax Peña	(2006-08-05) August 5, 2006 (age 18)	2	0	Western Reserve Academy
18	3MF	Reichelt, PatrickPatrick Reichelt	(1988-06-05) June 5, 1988 (age 37)	90	16	Kuala Lumpur City
19	3MF	Reyes, SandroSandro Reyes	(2003-03-29) March 29, 2003 (age 22)	17	1	FC Gütersloh
23	3MF	Rontini, ChristianChristian Rontini	(1999-07-20) July 20, 1999 (age 25)	16	1	Madura United
5	4FW	Dalapo, UrielUriel Dalapo	(2004-08-08) August 8, 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Davao Aguilas
9	4FW	Gayoso, JarveyJarvey Gayoso	(1997-02-11) February 11, 1997 (age 28)	21	2	Phnom Penh Crown
10	4FW	Kristensen, Bjørn MartinBjørn Martin Kristensen	(2002-05-04) May 4, 2002 (age 23)	5	2	Aalesunds
13	4FW	Monis, AlexAlex Monis	(2003-03-20) March 20, 2003 (age 22)	7	0	New England Revolution II
17	4FW	Holtmann, GerritGerrit Holtmann	(1995-03-25) March 25, 1995 (age 30)	5	2	VfL Bochum

Players Called Up Recently

The following players have been called up for the Philippines team in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Etheridge, NeilNeil Etheridge	(1990-02-07) February 7, 1990 (age 35)	82	0	Buriram United	v.  Tajikistan, September 8, 2024
GK	Pinthus, AnthonyAnthony Pinthus	(1998-04-04) April 4, 1998 (age 27)	3	0	Free agent	v.  Indonesia, June 11, 2024
DF	Curran, JesseJesse Curran	(1996-07-26) July 26, 1996 (age 28)	13	0	Ratchaburi	v.  Hong Kong, November 14, 2024PRE
DF	Grommen, JoshuaJoshua Grommen	(1996-07-14) July 14, 1996 (age 28)	1	0	Uthai Thani	v.  Hong Kong, November 14, 2024PRE
DF	Nyholm, JesperJesper NyholmINJ	(1993-09-10) September 10, 1993 (age 31)	8	1	Perak	v.  Thailand, October 11, 2024
DF	Lyngbø, SimenSimen Lyngbø	(1998-02-18) February 18, 1998 (age 27)	6	0	One Taguig	v.  Tajikistan, September 8, 2024
DF	Reyes, KristóferKristófer Reyes	(1997-05-24) May 24, 1997 (age 28)	0	0	Lampang	v.  Tajikistan, September 8, 2024
DF	Ugelvik, AdrianAdrian Ugelvik	(2001-09-21) September 21, 2001 (age 23)	2	0	Levanger	v.  Malaysia, September 4, 2024INJ
DF	Gallantes, YrickYrick Gallantes	(2001-01-14) January 14, 2001 (age 24)	7	0	One Taguig	v.  Indonesia, June 11, 2024
DF	Casambre, MarcoMarco Casambre	(1998-12-18) December 18, 1998 (age 26)	2	0	Kaya–Iloilo	v.  Iraq, March 26, 2024
DF	Sato, DaisukeDaisuke Sato	(1994-09-20) September 20, 1994 (age 30)	60	3	One Taguig	v.  Iraq, March 21, 2024PRE
MF	Strauß, John-PatrickJohn-Patrick Strauß	(1996-01-28) January 28, 1996 (age 29)	18	2	Muangthong United	v.  Hong Kong, November 14, 2024PRE
MF	Bailey, ZicoZico Bailey	(2000-08-27) August 27, 2000 (age 24)	4	1	New Mexico United	v.  Tajikistan, October 14, 2024
MF	Ingreso, KevinKevin IngresoINJ	(1993-02-10) February 10, 1993 (age 32)	45	5	Altona 93	v.  Thailand, October 11, 2024PRE
MF	Baas, JustinJustin Baas	(2000-03-16) March 16, 2000 (age 25)	19	0	Uthai Thani	v.  Tajikistan, September 8, 2024
MF	Baldisimo, MatthewMatthew Baldisimo	(1998-01-20) January 20, 1998 (age 27)	1	0	York United	v.  Tajikistan, September 8, 2024
MF	Baldisimo, MichaelMichael Baldisimo	(2000-04-13) April 13, 2000 (age 25)	6	0	San Jose Earthquakes	v.  Tajikistan, September 8, 2024
MF	Kekkonen, OskariOskari Kekkonen	(1999-09-24) September 24, 1999 (age 25)	10	0	Lamphun Warriors	v.  Malaysia, September 4, 2024PRE
MF	Bugas, PocholoPocholo Bugas	(2001-12-03) December 3, 2001 (age 23)	11	0	Angkor Tiger	v.  Indonesia, June 11, 2024
MF	Swainston, MarkMark Swainston	(1999-11-13) November 13, 1999 (age 25)	2	0	Kaya–Iloilo	v.  Indonesia, June 11, 2024
MF	Ott, MikeMike Ott	(1995-03-02) March 2, 1995 (age 30)	40	5	Visakha	v.  Iraq, March 26, 2024
FW	Demuynck, DylanDylan DemuynckINJ	(2004-05-06) May 6, 2004 (age 21)	6	0	Zulte Waregem	v.  Hong Kong, November 14, 2024PRE
FW	Rasmussen, SebastianSebastian Rasmussen	(2002-06-17) June 17, 2002 (age 23)	8	4	Hobro	v.  Tajikistan, October 14, 2024
FW	Borlongan, JeremiahJeremiah Borlongan	(1998-12-08) December 8, 1998 (age 26)	2	0	Dynamic Herb Cebu	v.  Tajikistan, September 8, 2024
FW	McDaniel, GriffinGriffin McDaniel	(2000-03-30) March 30, 2000 (age 25)	2	0	Stallion Laguna	v.  Indonesia, June 11, 2024
FW	Porteria, OJOJ Porteria	(1994-05-09) May 9, 1994 (age 31)	39	2	Free agent	v.  Indonesia, June 11, 2024
FW	Daniels, KenshiroKenshiro Daniels	(1995-01-13) January 13, 1995 (age 30)	39	4	Stallion Laguna	v.  Iraq, March 26, 2024
FW	Aldeguer, AndresAndres Aldeguer	(2003-12-18) December 18, 2003 (age 21)	0	0	One Taguig	v.  Iraq, March 26, 2024
FW	Libarnes, TheoTheo Libarnes	(2004-06-06) June 6, 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Far Eastern University	v.  Iraq, March 26, 2024
FW	Uzoka, ChimaChima Uzoka	(1998-06-12) June 12, 1998 (age 27)	0	0	Dynamic Herb Cebu	v.  Iraq, March 26, 2024
INJ Withdrew due to an injury PRE Included in the preliminary squad RET Retired from the national team SUS Serving suspension

Player Records

Players in bold are still playing for the team.

Most Games Played

Phil Younghusband is Philippines' top goalscorer and has played the most games.

Top Goalscorers

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

The Philippines has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. They tried to enter the 1950 World Cup but pulled out. They also planned to enter in 1962 but didn't. In 1966, their entry wasn't accepted because their football association couldn't pay the fee. They also pulled out of the 1974 World Cup qualifiers. The team first played in a FIFA World Cup qualifier for the 1998 tournament.

In the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Yanti Barsales scored the Philippines' first goal in a World Cup qualifier against Syria.

The national team didn't enter the qualifiers again until the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, about 10 years later. They got their first win in a World Cup qualifier against Sri Lanka, winning 4–0.

FIFA World Cup Record									Qualification Record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1938	Did not enter								Did not enter
1950	Withdrew								Withdrew
1954 to 1962	Did not enter								Did not enter
1966	Entry not accepted								Entry not accepted
1970	Did not enter								Did not enter
1974	Withdrew								Withdrew
1978 to 1994	Did not enter								Did not enter
1998	Did not qualify								Round 1	3	0	0	3	0	10
2002									Round 1	6	0	1	5	2	29
2006 and 2010	Did not enter								Did not enter
2014	Did not qualify								Round 2	4	1	1	2	6	6
2018									Round 2	8	3	1	4	8	12
2022									Round 2	8	3	2	3	12	11
2026									Round 2	6	0	1	5	3	14
2030	To be determined								To be determined
2034
Total	0/23	—	—	—	—	—	—		—	35	7	6	22	31	82

AFC Asian Cup

The Philippines has qualified for the Asian Cup only once, in 2019. For the 2011 and 2015 Asian Cups, the Philippines tried to qualify through the AFC Challenge Cup.

The Philippines' AFC Asian Cup Record
AFC Asian Cup Record										Qualification Record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1956	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	0	5
1960										2	0	0	2	4	14
1964	Withdrew									Withdrew
1968	Did not qualify									4	0	0	4	0	24
1972	Withdrew									Withdrew
1976
1980	Did not qualify									3	0	0	3	1	10
1984										5	0	0	5	3	16
1988	Did not enter									Did not enter
1992
1996	Did not qualify									3	0	0	3	1	20
2000										3	1	0	2	2	11
2004	Did not enter									Did not enter
2007
2011	Did not qualify									AFC Challenge Cup
2015
2019	Group stage	3	0	0	3	1	7	Squad		14	6	4	4	21	20
2023	Did not qualify									11	4	3	4	13	15
2027	To be determined									To be determined
Total	Group stage	3	0	0	3	1	7	–		47	11	7	29	45	135

AFC Challenge Cup

The AFC Challenge Cup was created for "emerging" or "developing" football nations to have a way to qualify for the Asian Cup. The Philippines was one of these nations and played in the first 2006 AFC Challenge Cup. After a qualification round was added, the Philippines didn't qualify for the 2008 and 2010 tournaments. The Philippines qualified for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and finished third. Phil Younghusband was the top scorer with six goals. The team reached the finals of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup but finished second after losing to Palestine. The AFC Challenge Cup ended after the 2014 tournament.

The Philippines' AFC Challenge Cup Record
Year	AFC Challenge Cup Record									Qualification Record
	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2006	Group stage	3	0	2	1	2	3	Squad		No qualification
2008	Did not qualify									Group stage	3	2	1	0	4	0
2010										Group stage	3	1	0	2	3	8
2012	Third place	5	3	0	2	9	8	Squad		Round 2	5	2	2	1	7	3
2014	Runners-up	5	3	1	1	7	3	Squad		Group stage	2	2	0	0	9	0
Total	3/5	13	6	3	4	18	14	–		–	13	7	3	3	23	11

Far Eastern Games

The Philippines won the first football tournament in the Far Eastern Games in 1913. However, they had American, Spanish, and British players, which broke the rules. Still, they were named champions. China won the other nine tournaments. In the 1917 Far Eastern Games, the Philippines had its biggest win ever, beating Japan 15–2. FC Barcelona player Paulino Alcántara was part of that team.

The Philippines' Far Eastern Games Record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1913	Champions	1	1	0	0	2	1
1915	Runners-up	3	0	2	1	1	2
1917	Runners-up	2	1	0	1	15	5
1919	Runners-up	3	1	0	2	3	5
1921	Runners-up	2	1	0	1	3	1
1923	Runners-up	2	1	0	1	2	4
1925	Runners-up	2	1	0	1	5	5
1927	Third place	2	0	0	2	2	5
1930	Third place	2	0	0	2	2	12
1934	Third place	3	1	0	2	6	8
Total	10/10	22	7	2	13	41	48

ASEAN Championship

The Philippines has played in almost every ASEAN Championship (also known as AFF Championship). Their first match was a 0–5 loss to Thailand in 1996. Freddy Gonzalez scored the first goal for the Philippines in the tournament in a 1–3 loss, also to Thailand, in 1998. Emelio Caligdong scored two goals in the team's 2–1 win against Timor-Leste in 2004. This was the Philippines' first win in the AFF Championship.

The national team didn't do well in the first seven tournaments (1996 to 2008), losing 19 out of 21 matches. Their worst loss was 1–13 against Indonesia in 2002, which is still the highest score in the tournament as of 2020. The team reached its first semifinals in the 2010 AFF Championship.

The Philippines' ASEAN Championship Record
Year	ASEAN Championship Record										Qualification Record
	Round	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1996	Group stage	10th	4	0	0	4	0	16	Squad		No qualification
1998		8th	3	0	0	3	3	11	Squad		2	0	1	1	1	2
2000		8th	3	0	0	3	0	8	Squad		No qualification
2002		9th	4	0	0	4	3	24	Squad
2004		7th	4	1	0	3	4	9	Squad
2007		7th	3	0	1	2	0	8	Squad		4	3	0	1	13	3
2008	Did not qualify										4	2	1	1	6	5
2010	Semi-finals	4th	5	1	2	2	3	3	Squad		3	1	2	0	7	2
2012		3rd	5	2	1	2	4	3	Squad		Qualified automatically
2014		4th	5	2	1	2	9	7	Squad
2016	Group stage	6th	3	0	2	1	2	3	Squad		Qualified as co-hosts
2018	Semi-finals	4th	6	2	2	2	7	7	Squad		Qualified automatically
2020	Group stage	5th	4	2	0	2	12	6	Squad
2022		7th	4	1	0	3	8	10	Squad
2024	To be determined								Squad
Total	Semi-finals	15/15	53	11	9	33	55	115	–		13	6	4	3	27	12

Team Honors

Continental Awards

• AFC Challenge Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2014
  • Third place (1): 2012

Regional Awards

• Far Eastern Championship Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1913
  • Silver medal (6): 1915, 1917, 1919, 1921, 1923, 1925
  • Bronze medal (3): 1927, 1930, 1934

Friendly Tournament Awards

• Philippine Peace Cup
  • Champions (2): 2012, 2013
• King's Cup
  • Third place (1): 2024

Summary of Awards

Competition				Total
AFC Challenge Cup	0	1	1	2
Far Eastern Championship Games	1	6	3	10
Total	1	7	4	12

Images for kids

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Filipinas para niños

• Football in the Philippines
• Philippines national football team results
• Philippines at the AFC Asian Cup

Men's Teams

• Philippines national under-23 football team
• Philippines national under-21 football team
• Philippines national under-19 football team
• Philippines national under-17 football team

Women's Teams

• Philippines women's national football team
• Philippines women's national under-20 football team
• Philippines women's national under-17 football team