The Philippine men’s football team is shifting its focus back to regional competition, unveiling a roster that will carry the country’s hopes in the 2026 ASEAN Championship as it looks to build on its breakthrough run in the previous edition.
Fresh off securing qualification for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, the Philippines now turns its attention to Southeast Asia, where a difficult Group B assignment awaits beginning next week.
Midfielder Sandro Reyes headlines the national squad that will attempt to steer the Philippines back into the knockout stage after ending a six-year semifinal drought in the last tournament.
Joining Reyes in midfield are Oskari Kekkonen, Cole Mrowka, Kenji Nishioka, Javier Mariona, and Gavin Muens, giving the team a blend of experience and youth in the center of the park.
The goalkeeping duties will be shared by Quincy Kammeraad, Patrick Deyto, and Eric Mangaoang.
Leading the attack are Jarvey Gayoso, Andre Leipold, Pocholo Bugas, Aarran Long, Andres Aldeguer, Martini Rey, and Raphael Ritarita, while the defensive corps is composed of Santi Rublico, Noah Leddel, Adrian Ugelvik, Jaime Rosquillo, Christian Rontini, John Lucero, Daisuke Sato, and Scott Woods.
The Philippines opens its Group B campaign against Myanmar on July 28 at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac, before remaining at home to host regional heavyweight Thailand on August 4.
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THE SQUAD IS HERE!
Young. Hungry. Fearless.
The team is ready to give everything for the Philippines as they begin their ASEAN Hyundai Cup journey.
Now, it’s time for us to get behind the boys. Laban, Pilipinas! pic.twitter.com/Gub7dvTBsH
— Philippine Men’s National Football Team (@pmnft_official) July 20, 2026
Between those home fixtures, the Filipinos will travel for away matches against Laos on August 1 and Malaysia on August 8, with only the top two teams in the group advancing to the semifinals.
The tournament, celebrating its 30th anniversary, returns with a single round-robin group stage running from July 24 to August 8. The semifinals and finals, both contested over two legs, are scheduled from August 15 to 26.
Defending champion Vietnam enters the competition as the team to beat after defeating Thailand 5-3 on aggregate in last edition’s championship series to capture its third ASEAN title.
Ten nations are split into two groups, with each team playing four matches on a home-and-away basis before the knockout stage.
For the Philippines, the tournament offers another opportunity to prove that its semifinal appearance in 2024 was not a one-off. That campaign marked the country’s return to the final four after a six-year absence and signaled progress for a program that continues to gain momentum.
That momentum only grew after the men’s national team booked a place in next year’s Asian Games, joining the Philippine women’s squad to complete the country’s representation in football at the Aichi-Nagoya meet from September 19 to October 4.
Before shifting its attention to the continental stage, however, the Philippines faces the immediate challenge of navigating a competitive ASEAN Championship group and making another deep run in the region’s premier football tournament.
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