AS part of the country’s preparations in hosting the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in 2025, a five-man Philippine Football Federation led by general secretary Angelico Mercado observed how the recent FIFA Futsal World Cup was conducted in Uzbekistan.
During the four-day visit, Mercader was joined by PFF deputy secretary general and futsal department head Kevin Goco, local organizing committee director Reli San Agustin, marketing head Arne Reodique and competitions head Ritchie Ganaban.
“This (tournament) is a very important milestone for us and we hope to meet and exceed expectations,” said Mercader in a statement from the Uzbek capital of Tashkent.
“We are very honored that the first FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup will be held in our country and I think it is not only an opportunity but also a responsibility for us to use this opportunity to promote and develop the game in our country, and perhaps in the region,” he said.
“The program provided participants with a unique and immersive experience, allowing them to understand the complex logistics, operations and strategic planning required to organize an event of such magnitude,” Kasra Haghighi, FIFA head of Olympic, futsal beach soccer, said.
Haghighi said that at every FIFA World Cup, the world football body invites selected sports officials and organizers of future events to see first-hand how things are done in various areas of organizing a sporting event.
“It was an eye-opening experience for me,” said San Agustín. “The challenge for us is to replicate something like this. When we first arrived, we only had a rough idea of what the LOC could do.
“But after talking to FIFA officials and the Local Organizing Committee, we have a clear vision.”
“The futsal community has been waiting for this moment to host a Women’s Futsal World Cup for many years. Now it’s happened. When we organize a tournament, it’s not just about futsal,” Haghighi explained.
“We create a vision, we create a dream, it touches people, it touches young people and it leaves a legacy. Part of it is that the children who took part, the volunteers, everyone who was there, will remember the tournament and learn from it,” he added.
To hype the 1st FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup, Goco said that the PFF will stage the AFF Women’s Futsal championship from Nov. 17 to 21 at the Philsports Arena, with other details to follow later.
