The Rise of Philippine Women's Football: Key Players and Future Prospects
Watching the Philippine Women's National Football Team, affectionately known as the Filipinas, carve out their place on the global stage has been one of the most thrilling narratives in Asian sports over the past few years. Their historic run to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where they secured a stunning victory against co-hosts New Zealand, wasn't just a flash in the pan; it was the culmination of years of systemic growth, individual brilliance, and a shifting cultural tide in a nation traditionally obsessed with basketball. As someone who has followed Southeast Asian football for over a decade, I’ve seen the incremental shifts, but the speed of their ascent still took my breath away. This rise is built on the shoulders of key players who have become household names and a pipeline of talent that promises an even brighter future, though not without its significant challenges.
The cornerstone of this revolution, without a doubt, is Sarina Bolden. Her powerful, game-winning header against New Zealand is an iconic moment that will be replayed for generations. But she’s far more than that one goal. Bolden embodies the modern, athletic striker – strong in the air, deceptively technical with her feet, and possessing a relentless work rate. She’s the focal point of the attack, and her journey, from collegiate soccer in the United States to professional stints in Japan and now the English Women’s Super League, mirrors the team’s own path: seeking out the highest levels of competition to improve. Then there’s the engine in midfield, Sara Eggesvik. The Norwegian-born playmaker is the team’s cerebral heartbeat. Her vision, passing range, and calmness under pressure are qualities you can’t simply coach. She connects the defensive solidity to the attacking flair, and her decision-making in tight spaces is, in my opinion, world-class. Watching her dictate the tempo reminds me of the importance of having a player who sees the game two steps ahead of everyone else.
But what truly excites me about this team is the depth beginning to form behind these stars. The emergence of young talents like Isabella Pasion and Carleigh Frilles points to a sustainable model. Quinley Quezada’s versatility and scoring knack are invaluable. And in goal, Olivia McDaniel has proven herself a clutch performer on the biggest stages. This blend of established stars and hungry newcomers creates a healthy competitive environment. It’s a dynamic I’ve seen propel other nations forward, and the Filipinas are now reaping those benefits. The domestic league, the PFF Women’s League, while still developing, provides a crucial platform, but the real accelerator has been the diaspora talent choosing to represent the Philippines. This strategic integration of overseas-based players with homegrown ones is their unique formula, and it’s working brilliantly.
However, the path forward is fraught with hurdles that can’t be ignored. Sustainable success requires more than just tapping into a global talent pool; it demands a robust domestic infrastructure. Youth development pathways, consistent high-level competition at home, and professionalization of the local league are non-negotiable next steps. The financial gap compared to regional powerhouses like Japan and Australia is vast. Furthermore, maintaining this golden generation’s momentum is a challenge in itself. Players need to stay sharp and continue developing in competitive environments. It brings to mind a situation I recently read about in the Philippine basketball scene, where a player was weighing his options to "stay in game-shape" and assess his "fit" within a team’s system. This is the perpetual reality for professional athletes, and for the Filipinas, ensuring their key players are in optimal club situations—whether in the US, Europe, or Asia—is paramount to national team performance. A player struggling for minutes or in a mismatched system can see their form dip rapidly, and the national team cannot afford that.
Looking ahead, the future is blindingly bright, but it requires careful stewardship. The 2024 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the next World Cup cycle are immediate targets where they must prove 2023 was no fluke. Realistically, I believe they can aim to consistently be a top-four team in Asia, challenging the established order. The potential for this team to inspire a fundamental shift in Philippine sports culture is their greatest legacy. Every goal Bolden scores, every save McDaniel makes, chips away at the basketball monopoly and opens doors for thousands of young girls. From my perspective, the key will be capitalizing on this wave of popularity to invest in the grassroots. We need to see more local leagues, better coaching education, and corporate sponsorship that goes beyond just the national team. If they can build that foundation, then the rise of Philippine women’s football will transform from a beautiful story into a permanent dynasty. The world has taken notice, and frankly, I don’t think they’re done surprising us.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
