National booters drum up interest in PFF Women's Cup

MANILA, Philippines -- The 2024 edition of the PFF Women’s Cup is generating a lot of buzz with several mainstays of the Filipinas ramping up the competition.

Olivia and Chandler McDaniel and Sofia Harrison are suiting up for Stallion Laguna, while fellow FIFA Women’s World Cup veterans Quinley Quezada and Hali Long are playing for Manila Digger and Kaya Iloilo, respectively, in the chase for glory.

“We’re all excited for this long-awaited Cup. It’s really important to have leagues like this to push football here and see the sport grow and to have so many familiar faces to make football more attainable for little girls and little boys here,” Long said.

Long joined the McDaniel sisters, Quezada, Harrison, WC alternate goalkeeper Inna Palacios also of Kaya, as well as captains and representatives of Beach Hut FC, Azzurri SC and Tuloy FC in a presscon announcing the partnership between the PFF and Coca-Cola Philippines for the tourney.

They shared the table with Coca-Cola VP for franchise operations Pablo Medina Noriega, PFF national teams director Freddy Gonzalez, PFF general secretary Gelix Mercader, and PFF head of competitions committee Lovely Tababa.

“What’s really exciting about this league now is we have a lot of players who were part of the last World Cup squad coming back to the country and playing for the local clubs,” said Gonzalez.

“And for me, it’s really important that the women here get regular games week in and week out so that they can be ready when they represent the Filipinas in international competitions. “And it’s going to be really exciting for fans because right away these women lift up the level of play.”

The "PFF Women’s Cup brought to you by Coca-Cola" kicked off last week with Manila Digger rallying past Stallion on Quezada’s 60th-minute winning strike, 2-1, and Beach Hut beating Azzurri, 5-1.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the PFF to help improve and provide these women with the opportunities, resources they need to succeed, both in and out of the pitch,” said Medina Noriega.