The Philippines Historic Campaign At The 2023 Women’s World Cup
by Dylan Bothamley and Max Levin
The Women’s World Cup ended on August 20th with Spain defeating England 1-0 in a tense final match. The end marked only the beginning for the Philippines team who completed a historic first campaign in the global tournament with a memorable showing.
The Philippines defeated the host country New Zealand in the opening round, a dream start that ignited a fury of interest both at home and abroad. The win gave them the chance to play for a shot in the knockout stage against Norway, a team with an incredible pedigree including winning the World Cup in 1995.
An enormous crowd turned out at New Zealand’s national stadium to watch the David vs. Goliath matchup, the majority of whom were Filipino supporters. In the end, the might of the Norway team proved too much, but the Philippines’ showing cemented the team’s place on the world stage.
The games were followed closely in the Philippines, bolstered by massive viewing parties across several SM Supermall locations. There were watch parties across the United States as well, especially in Southern California where the Philippines national team trains.
After the tournament concluded, coach Alen Stajcic released a statement capturing the magic of the debut:
“Beating New Zealand on home soil and scoring our first World Cup goal and getting our first win were the things that dreams are made of. And despite the scoreline, the last match against Norway, where 34,000 patrons attended, with 30,000 singing for the Filipinas, brought shivers down our spine. It showed that football does belong in the Philippines, and that legacy is something we are all proud of.”
The Philippines left the bright lights of the World Cup ranked as the 46th best team in the world. Their debut on the global stage exceeded expectations.
They not only recorded their first goal, but their first win in the tournament and will look to build on it when the World Cup returns in 2027.
The team has provided a new class of heroines for aspiring children with big soccer dreams.
