With only a month before the Philippines begin their campaign for regional supremacy, expectations are on a high with 4 quality and exciting matches to be played in a bid to claim the title of ASEAN champions.
Sporting a new tournament format, the AFF Suzuki Cup will bring thrilling football to all fans with the Philippines hosting two home matches in the group stages.
The Philippine Men’s National Team path will be a tough one however as it will face familiar foes Singapore, Timor Leste, Thailand, and Indonesia in Group B. With the exception of Timor Leste, the Philippines will face the same teams it had faced in 2016 when Manila hosted the group stages.
The Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod, Negros Occidental will host the Philippines against Singapore on 13 November and Thailand on 21 November 2018. This will be the first time that the Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium will host the Suzuki Cup final round after hosting the ASEAN Football Championship Qualifiers back in 2006.
“The AFF Suzuki Cup makes its return to the Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City,” said PFF president Mariano Araneta Jr. “It (the AFF Suzuki Cup) holds a special place to all Philippine football fans. We invite all football stakeholders and more importantly, the fans to support the Men’s National Team in their home matches.”
The away match against Timor Leste will be held on 17 November 2018 at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia while the match against Indonesia will be held on 25 November 2018 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Currently, the team is preparing for the tournament. The team recently participated in the Bangabandhu Gold Cup International Football Tournament 2018 where the Philippines finished as semifinalists. A FIFA International Friendly Match against Oman is set on 13 October 2018, 6:30 PM local time (11:30 PM Manila time) at the Al Gharafa Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.
Philippines MNT Matches in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018
| Date | No. | Match | Kick-Off | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 November 2018 | 8 | Philippines vs Singapore | 7:30 PM | Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium |
| 17 November 2018 | 11 | Timor Leste vs Philippines | 8:00 PM | Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium |
| 21 November 2018 | 15 | Philippines vs Thailand | 7:30 PM | Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium |
| 25 November 2018 | 20 | Indonesia vs Philippines | 7:00 PM* | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium |