Azkals set to for Asia 7s Football Championships participation

c/o Jihan Caparros

The Azkals is set for a revival.

With the monicker being shelved by the Philippine Football Federation, it is now set to return to the spotlight, as part of the emerging seven-a-side football scene.

This coming October at the EV Arena Elmina in Kuala Lumpur, the Azkals will be our representative at the Asia 7's Championships, the premier continental competition for this form of football.

It is the second edition of the event, with the inaugural campaign taking place at the McKinley-Hill Stadium in Taguig back in 2023. Japan emerged as champions, capping things with an undefeated record.

The Philippines, behind the efforts of Bienve Maranon and MJ Libre, finished third in the four-team competition.

For this campaign, which has now expanded to at least eight teams, including hosts Malaysia, China, Singapore, and Indonesia, the Philippines is going to rely on a few notable names. Acting as the head coach will be Hamed Hajimedhedi, whose Pampanga side claimed the inaugural AIA 7s Super League.

Serving as team skippers are two of the most notable names to play football for the Azkals: Misagh Bahadoran and Stephan Schroeck. Both players are excited for the upcoming opportunity to see action on the pitch.

Bahadoran says, "It has been years since I represented the country, but the desire to do so has always been there. It is a great honor for me to wear the national colors one more time."

Asia 7s Tournament Commissioner Anton del Rosario says about the growth of seven-a-side football, "The main goal is to make seven-a-side more accessible all over Asia. This competition can be as big as the Asian Football Confederation's tournaments and we just have to work extra hard to make this possible. The Asia 7s Championships is a positive step towards that direction."

In line with the revival of the brand, Schroeck says, "This is the next step in keeping alive the Azkals name, which has become synonymous with Philippine Football. It is very important to continue the Azkals legacy on how as the former minnows of Asian football, we were able to rise and overcome the challenges before. Hopefully by using the monicker again, we can once more inspire all aspiring football players in the country."

To field a competitive unit, the Azkals is set to hold open tryouts on September 8 at McKinley Hill Stadium. Once that is filled, they have plans of holding an exhibition against celebrities before they depart towards Malaysia for the championships.