MANILA -- The Philippine Football Federation wants to revive fan support for the men's national football team as the Azkals embark on another FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

With a month left until the start of another World Cup cycle, the PFF launched a new battle cry for the Azkals: "Stand Your Ground: 10K Strong!"

The federation wants to bring back the days when fans filled up the 12,873-seater Rizal Memorial Stadium to root for the men's national football team.

“The fans have always played a vital role behind the success of the Men’s National Team,” said PFF president Mariano Araneta.

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“Our objective is to make them feel the support of the fans. Let us rally behind our team and show that we can pack Rizal Memorial Stadium. Let us stand our ground for our team and for our country.”

The Philippines is grouped with Iraq, and Southeast Asia rivals Vietnam and Indonesia in Group F of the second round of the qualifiers. The Azkals' matches will be played at the iconic Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila.

PFF general secretary Mikhail Torre said it is a perfect opportunity to ignite the support for the Azkals in a banner year highlighted by the Philippine women’s national team’s historic appearance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“We want to finish the year strong,” said Torre. “Our Filipinas did an amazing job in New Zealand and now it’s the Azkals’ turn to play at home.”

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Torre said the campaign will be divided into three parts.

“The first focus is the fan experience where we make sure the fans will enjoy good food, beverages, mini-games, and entertainment in the match venue,” said Torre.

“The second part is the promotional campaign where we reach out to the fans through social media posts, videos, influencers, and even fan-made content. We also plan on reaching out to communities such as schools, football clubs and academies, and open plays to invite them to experience the matches live. The third part is to ensure the consistency of this initiative and make sure fans keep coming back to the future home matches.”

The key is collaboration with the fans.

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“It is important for the Federation to work hand in hand with the fans in order to make this campaign a success,” he said. “We hope this can reignite the fire that once gave people hope that we can perform at the highest level.”

Ticket details for the November 16, 2023 match versus Vietnam will be announced soon.