PFF urges fans to pack Rizal Memorial for World Cup qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines -- Thirteen years ago, the success of the Philippine men’s football team galvanized the entire nation and its football programs. Although the squad has struggled of late, it is hoped the newfound success of the distaff side will this time spur on the men’s team and Philippine football.

With the Asian World Cup Qualifiers looming and a familiar old foe coming into town, there’s a call for all hands on deck to transform the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium into a fortress of screaming, cheering and applauding home fans.

Vietnam might have taken the last four fixtures but all four of them have been hard-fought affairs. Even if the Azkals have had less than satisfactory results in recent years, all teams still prepare and are fully focused when it comes to their matches against the Filipinos.

Come Thursday, November 16, the Philippine Football Federation is calling on all supporters to pack and fill the venerable old stadium against Philippe Troussier’s Golden Star Warriors.

“Stand Your Ground: 10K Strong!” is the battle cry for the home stand, first against Vietnam on November 16 and then Indonesia on November 21.

The Rizal Memorial Football Stadium has been the venue of some of historic results, from that 1-nil win over Malaysia in the 1991 Southeast Asian Games, the 4-nil thrashing of Sri Lanka in the Philippines’ first ever appearance in the second leg of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers back in July 2011, the 3-2 triumph over the Democratic Republic of Korea in the 2018 in March of 2016 that was also for the World Cup Qualifiers, and the thrilling come-from-behind 2-1 win during the Asian Cup qualifiers.

The PFF is hoping that the fans and the national team tag team for what could be a momentum-changing match for the Azkals.

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

Torre, who also serves as commissioner for the Philippines Football League, bared that the campaign will be split 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.”

Torre emphasized the PFF’s collaboration with the fans in this endeavor.

“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.”

The last time Filipino football fans packed the grand old stadium was for a friendly between the Azkals and the David Beckham-led Los Angeles Galaxy back in 2011.