Football was traditionally less popular than basketball in the Philippines due to American influence. However, interest in football has increased in recent decades through youth programs and national team successes, including qualifying for the 1991 SEA Games semi-finals and surprising performances in the 2010 and 2012 AFF Suzuki Cups. The Philippines and FIFA are working to further develop football through training centers, youth academies, and a domestic league in order to revive the sport to its former glory.

2. Football in the Philippines

3.  Despite football being popular among its
Southeast Asian neighbors', football is
usually overshadowed
by basketball which is undeniably the
most popular sport in the Philippines.

4.  Football was virtually unheard of
throughout the archipelago as there was
no national football league and are also
no stadia that would easily pass FIFA
requirements.

5.  Over a hundred years ago,
the Philippines were ceded by Spain to
the USA. American sports such
as basketball consequently gained the
upper hand, at the expense of the once
popular game of football.

6.  However, since local youngsters, both
boys and girls, rediscovered the delights
of football, the tide has begun to turn. But
there is still a long way to go before
football can once again become the
country's leading sport.

8.  The nation managed to taste some
success some time ago by qualifying in
the 1991 South East Asian Games) semi-
finals. The national association is,
however, trying to promote young talent
by means of grassroots nationwide
programs in an effort to raise football
standards to a reasonable level after a
spate of poor results.

9.  Training programs in all major areas have
also been set up, based on FIFA courses
such as Futuro. The news that Philippine
striker, Alfredo Gonzalez, considered by
many as the first ever Filipino
professional football player in history and
the Philippines' finest striker since the
legendary Paulino Alcántara, had signed
a contract for a professional Vietnamese
club was the first international transfer to
hit the headlines in the country for years.

11.  The Philippines and FIFA seek to revive
the sport to its former glory. Efforts
include the launching of a FIFA goal
project in 2003 in the city of Barotac
Nuevo, Iloilo which involves the
construction of a National Training
Center.

13.  The stunning performance of the national
football team of the Philippines during
the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, in which it
defeated the defending champion
Vietnam and qualified for the semi-finals
of the tournament, inspired many
Filipinos.

15.  This development further boosted the
revival of football in the country as
Filipinos have begun to show more
interest in the sport. Along with renewed
public interest, football has been
enjoying corporate sponsorship,
government support, foreign help and the
establishment of a domestic league.

16.  Even though they've lose in Singapore
yesterday for the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup
semifinals I think its been a great year for
Philippine football. Go Azkals... We still
believe...