The Philippines battle with Indonesia in the ASEAN Women's Futsal Championship 2024 in Pasig City on November 20, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The Philippine women’s national futsal team is set for intense action in the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Before their hosting of the 2025 Women’s World Cup later this year, Pinay5 will have a series of tests which starts in their Group C campaign in the qualifiers which will be held in China.

The Nationals will be looking to make their debut in the Asian Cup, but standing in their way in the first-ever Asian Qualifiers are FIFA-ranked No.18 Uzbekistan and No. 61 Kuwait.

The Philippines will be facing Kuwait on Saturday, January 12, 2:00 a.m., PH time, at the Yunusobod Sports Complex in Tashkent, and following this is their January 13 clash against the 2018 quarter-finalists at 11:00 p.m., PH time.

Completing their group stage campaign are assignments against Turkmenistan (January 15, 11:00 p.m., PH time), and Australia (January 19, 11:00 p.m., PH time).

Meanwhile, Group A has Thailand, Lebanon, Bahrain, Palestine, and Iraq; Group B is made up of Indonesia, Hong Kong, India, and Kyrgyz Republic; and Group D comprises Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Macau, and Myanmar.

Only nine of the 18 total clubs will advance to the Asian Cup in China. Those slots will be coming from the Top 2 squads of each group, and the top third placer among all teams.

The qualified squads will compete in the China games which will determine the cast of teams for the World Cup which the Philippines will be hosting.

Aside from the Nationals who are already automatically qualified, only the Top 3 Finishers in the Asian Cup will advance into the World Cup.