The Philippine National Football Team or the Philippine Azkals begins its buildup for the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers which will begin in late March for the first round of qualifiers. The Philippines which is ranked will only compete in the second round of the qualifiers because of its ranked in Asia.
The 129th-ranked Philippine Azkals will start competing in the World Cup Qualifiers this coming June 2015 with their opponents to be determined based upon the results of the first round of the world cup qualifiers.
Coach Thomas Dooley of the Philippine Azkals noted that the team will begin its buildup with a training camp and friendly match possibly against a team from the Middle East particularly in Bahrai.
The team was previously reported to go up against China in a friendly match, but the game was cancelled so the management are looking up for a possibility of meeting one of the powerhouse national team in the Middle East.
The Philippine Azkals head coach, Thomas Dooley, who returned from Germany early last month, has remained mum on the prospects expected to bolster the team starting this year.
Before the highly anticipated build up of the Philippine national football team in the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifying Rounds, the Azkals partnered with supermarket chain PureGold, to raise funds for the Azkals preparations through “Small Change Big Change,” program.
The Azkals fund-raiser involves the placement of donation cans in key commercial establishments and stores. Azkals team manager Dan Palami welcomed the development and thanked Puregold for being the first establishment the campaign.