MANILA — With the global spotlight fixed on Pasig City, the Philippines is banking on Negrense standout Charisa Marie Lemorán to anchor a determined Filipina5 squad seeking to make an impact as the country hosts the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup — the first FIFA World Cup event ever held on Philippine soil.
The 15-player roster unveiled by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) signals the nation’s bold bid to establish itself on futsal’s world stage.
The appearance marks only the second time a Philippine team will compete in the sport’s highest-level tournament — now amplified by the advantage of a home crowd inside the Philsports Arena from November 21 to December 7.
PFF president John Anthony Gutierrez said the team’s inclusion reflects how far the country’s futsal program has come.
“To host the first-ever FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup and to see our very own Filipina5 compete in it is a monumental achievement for Philippine football and futsal,” Gutierrez said. “This squad represents the heart, grit, and ambition of our futsal program. We believe they will make the country proud.”
Gutierrez added that the national program’s long-term investments have produced a group capable of competing with some of the world’s elite.
“The Filipina5 have trained relentlessly, and with the support of our coaches, staff, and partners, we are confident in their readiness.”
Lemorán leads a lineup featuring Samantha Jane Hughes, Lanie Ortillo, Cathrine Graversen, Kayla Maureen Santiago, Dionesa Tolentin, Jaclyn Katrina Sawicki, Katrina Jacqueline Guillou, Regine Rebosura, Alisha Clare Del Campo, Judy Lynn Connolly, Isabella Marie Bandoja, Ma. Rocelle Mendaño, and Isabella Victoria Flanigan.
The Filipina5 open their home campaign against Poland on November 21, followed by Morocco on November 24, before wrapping up the group stage against Argentina on November 27 — all at the Philsports Arena./PN
