MANILA – As the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy tour begins this month, Manila will be included in the list of its stops as the Philippines qualified to the biggest football competition in the world.

In the list released by FIFA, the FIFA trophy will make a visit in Manila on March 1 to 2 before heading to other participating nations in the tournament.

The Trophy Tour is set to stoke excitement across the world ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with 32 countries vying for the position as world’s best.

The event is expected to inspire people of all ages by “Going Beyond” to celebrate the rocketing popularity of the women’s game.

Skills Drills will give willing participants worldwide the chance to try out fun football challenges and then share their imaginative efforts on TikTok.

As the Trophy travels from stop to stop, selected women and girls who have participated in Skills Drills will join FIFA legends, local national team stars and other famous faces to highlight the game’s emerging talent and increase the buzz around the Women’s World Cup.

Female Football Freestyle world champion Lia Lewis will set the challenges to her more than 3.9 million followers on TikTok, as well as across FIFA’s social media and FIFA+.

She will also pass on her tips to youngsters at a send-off event on February 18 in Melbourne / Naarm, Australia before the tour’s first official stop in Japan on February 25-26.

The Trophy will crisscross the globe by visiting Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Europe before landing in all nine Women’s World Cup host cities in the final weeks before the start of a tournament on July 20.

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Aside from the Philippines, several countries will also be part of the tour for the first time ever, including Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Morocco, the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Vietnam and Zambia.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour is a spectacular global celebration of the women’s game, giving fans, families and future football enthusiasts an opportunity to be inspired and become part of a truly special journey,” FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura said.

“It is a fantastic opportunity to experience the most coveted prize in women’s football in person and hear from the game’s legends. The tour will inspire people worldwide by shining a spotlight on the skills and creativity that demonstrate why women’s football has such a bright future.”

The Philippines were bracketed in Group A in the World Cup with host New Zealand, 1995 World Cup champion Norway and Switzerland in matches that will be played in Kiwi country, with the top two squads in the group advancing to knockout round-of-16 in the 32-nation blue ribbon competition.

The Filipinas are the lowest-ranked side in their bracket at No. 53 in the FIFA women’s world rankings, Norway is the highest at No. 12 while Switzerland and New Zealand are ranked No. 21 and 22, respectively.

They make their World Cup debut against the Swiss on July 21, 2023 at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in the coastal city of Dunedin on the southern tip of the country, then face the Ferns, five days later at the 40,000-seat Sky Stadium in Wellington.

The charges of Stajcic will conclude their group campaign against Switzerland on July 30 at the Eden Park, the country’s biggest arena with a 50,000-seating capacity, in Auckland.

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