Perth: Host Australia is eagerly preparing for its opening match against the Philippines in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup scheduled for next year. The two teams have been placed in Group A alongside South Korea and Iran.
According to Philippines News Agency, Australia's team, ranked 15th globally, is set to face the Philippines, which is ranked 41st. The group also includes South Korea, ranked 21st, and Iran, ranked 68th. Australia's head coach, Joe Montemurro, expressed that any draw is challenging in a tournament, emphasizing the need to approach each game individually. Montemurro, who previously coached Italy's Juventus F.C. Women team, shared his excitement for the opening game against the Philippines in Perth.
Player Tameka Yallop also shared her enthusiasm for the tournament, acknowledging the importance of focusing on group stage games without becoming overconfident. Yallop, who plays for Brisbane Roar, emphasized that the priority is to excel in the group stage before moving forward.
The draw presents a tough challenge for the Philippines in their quest to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. Philippines head coach Mark Torcaso acknowledged the difficulty of the group but expressed excitement about playing against the host nation. He emphasized the importance of sticking to their processes as a team to advance.
South Korea's coach, Shin Sang-woo, described the group as consisting of excellent teams and expressed a desire to advance as the top team by defeating Australia. He noted that their previous match against Australia in April will serve as a valuable reference.
Defending champion China is grouped with North Korea, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan in Group B, while Japan leads Group C with India, Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam. The tournament format will see the top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, with the four semifinalists securing World Cup berths. Teams that lose in the quarterfinals will compete in a play-in round for the remaining World Cup slots.
