2022 PFF Women’s Cup Primer PWC 2022 — Championship Buzz, Competition Details, Quotes from Marigen Ariel

In just a few hours, top flight women’s football makes its long-awaited return to the Philippine stage with the PFF Women’s Cup. Eight teams will be heading to the PFF National Football Center to battle it out in single-round robin action, including our very own triumphant international champions.

Since being founded in 2018, the Kaya FC Women’s Team were yet to make their 11-a-side debut until just last month. The team received an invitation to travel and compete in the SingaCup Women’s Football Championship, where they beat out the champions of Indonesia, Thailand, and the host country Singapore over the course of a week to take home the WFC Title.

“For me, the whole experience of playing in the SingaCup was so amazing because this is the first time for Kaya Women’s to play internationally,” stated player/coach Marigen Ariel.

“I’ve had a lot of experiences playing outside the country, but that was long ago and this was my first time again after how many years. Not only playing 11-a-side, but winning the championship trophy—I cannot explain the feeling except how I’m very thankful to the coaching staff and management for their support during the trip,” she added.

The experience gained in that campaign may prove vital in the coming weeks, as the veteran defender will be pulling double duty over the course of the competition. With Head Coach Let Dimzon also heading the FEU program, the team’s tactical and on-field leadership falls squarely on Ariel’s shoulders.

“I have a very challenging role in this upcoming PFF Women’s Cup because I’m not only going to play, but at the same time I will be coaching the club,” Ghen revealed. “I don’t exactly know what to expect in my new role, but it will be exciting to see things unfold during the tournament.”

The Cup will take place from November 5th to December 17th, featuring the likes of Stallion Laguna FC, Tuloy FC, Azzurri FC, and the UAAP sides of ADMU, FEU, and UST. The top four teams will advance to the knockout stages, and the last team standing will be crowned the 2022 Campeones. Bigger than the glory that comes with that, however, is the opportunity for the multitude of gifted footballers in the women’s game to come out and compete at the top flight domestically.

“The return of the PFF Women’s Football League is very helpful for our local players, because they’ll get to showcase their talent and receive more opportunities to compete at a higher level,” Ariel noted. “Not only Kaya FC or the PWNT, but also maybe some other clubs or universities will get the chance to travel outside the country to compete. Why not, diba?”

In a message to the Kaya faithful, Ghen said, “Please continue supporting the club! I’m grateful and honored that I’m a part of this team, and thankful to the club and to the fans that are always cheering for us every time we play—be it locally or internationally.”

Kaya Women’s take on Far Eastern University in their opening night matchup, and we’re encouraging everyone to come down to Carmona and get behind the team. Kickoff’s at 6:30 PM, and you can also catch the Livestream at home on the PFF Women’s League Facebook and YouTube pages!