Philippines to Host Inaugural Women’s Futsal World Cup in 2025

The inaugural Women’s Futsal World Cup is set to take place in the Philippines in 2025, as confirmed by the FIFA Council during its 74th Congress in Bangkok. Although the exact dates have not yet been specified for the tournament, which was announced in 2022 but has been delayed by three years, it will feature 16 participating teams.

The decision has caused surprise and disappointment among the Spanish and Italian Federations, both of which had submitted bids to host the historic event. The Spanish delegation, despite boasting about their chances, had prior knowledge of the outcome, leading to feelings of frustration. Federative sources in Italy also expressed disappointment with FIFA’s selection process, perceiving it as predetermined.

Natalia Orive, president of the Spanish Futsal Players Association, expressed surprise at the announcement and concern about the lack of specified dates. FIFA has allocated places to different confederations, with UEFA hosting the European qualifying phase, featuring Spain and Portugal as seeds.

Notably, Brazil has dominated the Copa América, winning seven titles, while Iran has claimed both editions of the Asian Cup. The Philippines, known for basketball, recently hosted the FIBA Men’s World Cup in 2023 and will also host the FIVB Volleyball World Cup in 2025. This marks the first time the country will host a FIFA World Cup.

The president of the Philippine Federation, John Anthony Gutiérrez, expressed gratitude for the opportunity. In recent years, the Philippines has implemented a futsal program under the guidance of Dutch advisor Vic Hermans, utilizing existing volleyball and basketball courts for women’s futsal competitions. Despite being ranked 61st in women’s futsal, the Philippines showed promise in recent tournaments, reaching the final in 2023.

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