Philippines’ Football Revival Gains Massive Boost Ahead Of 2022 FIFA World Cup

KEY POINTS

Football's resurgence in the Philippines is mainly due to its recent success on the world stage
Tap Go will be the official broadcaster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the Southeast Asian nation
The service will air all 64 games of the World Cup, as well as interviews with both players and coaches

The Philippines’ football scene is enjoying a major resurgence thanks to the performance of its women’s national team during the recently-concluded AFF Women’s Championship, which resulted in the country’s first-ever podium finish in an international competition.

Despite the country’s seemingly never-ending love affair with basketball, soccer is slowly making its way back to the consciousness of mainstream sports fans in the island nation and it comes at a perfect time as the 2022 FIFA World Cup is about to happen later in the year.

The quadrennial international men’s football event is expected to draw in millions upon millions of viewers across the world as the best players vie for the right to bring home the coveted title.

For fans in the Philippines, following the World Cup is about to be easier than ever as new streaming site Tap Go recently announced that it was appointed by FIFA as the Southeast Asian nation’s official broadcaster for the event.

The International Business Times was invited to the official reveal of Tap Go with Rely San Agustin, marketing manager for Tap Go, and Paolo Diaz, project head for World Cup TV, being in attendance as well.

San Agustin explained during the online press conference that World Cup TV will be having the following features:

All 64 matches of 2022 FIFA World Cup
Pre/Postgame Coverage
Players/Coaches Interviews
Match Highlights
Off-Pitch Features

San Agustine also revealed that the Filipino audience can avail of the service for ₱1,999 ($35.80), and Diaz announced that it will go live from November 16 all the way to December 22–four days after the scheduled final match of the World Cup.

In recent years, football has been slowly and silently making its way back up to the Philippine mainstream mainly due to the performance of the men’s team in the mid-2000s and early 2010s.

However, it was their national women’s team who pushed the envelope even further and brought home an international soccer trophy to the basketball-crazed country.

The Philippines also has reason to become even more invested in the sport because their women’s team will be going to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup after a stellar performance in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

With soccer quickly regaining popularity in the Philippines, the 2022 World Cup will surely be a cannot-miss event for those who want to become engrossed in the sport.