ILOILO City – The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is considering Iloilo Province as a possible host for the group stage matches of the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup to be held in the Philippines.
PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez on Wednesday visited Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. and inspected the Iloilo Sports Complex and Central Philippine University (CPU) ahead of upcoming visit by FIFA Futsal World Cup delegation next week.
During the meeting, Defensor has expressed his full support on his province potential hosting of the first-ever Futsal World Cup. CPU President Rev. Dr. Ernest Howard Dagohoy likewise gave his support should games be played in their school.
“The Iloilo Provincial Government expressed its full support on the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup. We will render any assistance needed to prepare for the inauguration of the Futsal World Cup,” said Defensor, a former football player for UP-Visayas High School.
Guttierez, for his part, said that it is a milestone for the Philippine football that FIFA has appointed the country to host the inaugural edition of the Futsal World Cup.
“We are both humbled and honored by the faith and confidence that FIFA has placed in the Philippine Football Federation to stage a historic event not just for football and futsal, but for women’s sport,” said Gutierrez.
“This is the first time that the Philippines will be hosting a FIFA World Cup event, so on behalf of the PFF, I thank the FIFA Council for their trust, and look forward to working with all our local stakeholders in organizing a historic event,” he added.
“The PFF is excited to showcase to the world our world-class Filipino hospitality, and we are eager to use this event to inspire millions of children, especially girls, across the country to play the beautiful game,” he further said.
Gutierrez further said that the PFF has invested in all forms of women’s football, including futsal, and has yielded results with the Philippine National Women’s Football Team qualifying for the country’s first ever FIFA World Cup berth last year in Australia.
“Since 2022, the PFF has worked on the development of all forms of the women’s game, and organized and hosted a series of local international women’s futsal tournaments to build on the popularity of the modality of futsal among girls in local public schools and communities,” he said./PN
