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| The PhilSports Arena is set to host the FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup. Mia Montayre/PFF (file photo) |
MAKATI—The PhilSports Arena in Pasig and the Victorias City Coliseum are the battlegrounds for the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup.
Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez said on Tuesday, during the launch of the newly retooled Philippine Women's National Futsal Team at the Studio 300 branch here, that FIFA approved both arenas after all concerns regarding all the candidate venues were resolved.
According to the executive, the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City and SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay had to be ruled out due to concerns about the naming rights.
Another arena being considered was the University of San Agustin Gym in Iloilo City, but the court dimensions were not in line with FIFA's recommended dimensions.
The uncertainties regarding when the construction of the SM Seaside City Arena in Cebu City will be completed also led to the entire city being ruled out.
The PhilSports Arena hosted last year's AFF Women's Futsal Championship, making it a great fit to be a venue for the FIFA Futsal WWC, which will run from Nov. 21-Dec. 7.
The Victorias City Coliseum, on the other hand, is set to host a major sporting event for the first time since the PBA held an Oct. 27, 2012 game between TNT and Rain Or Shine there.
The road to the FIFA Futsal WWC begins for the new PWNFT in the AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers from Jan. 11-19 at the Yunusobod Sports Complex in Tashkent.
Spanish coach Rafa Merino takes over as the new head coach replacing Vic Hermans, who stays as the men's futsal coach.
Members of the Filipinas bolster the roster, with head coach Mark Torcaso joining Merino's coaching staff and Bella Flanigan and Katrina Guillou also joining.
The Philippine women's futsal team is moving on from the "Pinay5" moniker after the Henry Moran Foundation sent a letter to Gutierrez imposing their trademark rights to the said term and that the PFF cannot use the moniker any further since Hermans' unceremonious removal from the women's team head coaching job.
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