The world of futsal has a new king - at least in the men's competition. Last Sunday, Brazil were crowned world champions for the sixth time at the 10th edition of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™.

The women's equivalent is still in its infancy. Next year, the Philippines will host the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup™, a milestone not only for the sport but also the region and the host country.

Preparations for the first-ever FIFA tournament in the Philippines are already well underway. A delegation of five high-level officials from the Local Organising Committee (LOC), comprising Angelico Mercader (Secretary General of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), Aurelio San Agustín (LOC Director of the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025), Kevin Goco (PFF Assistant General Secretary), Arne Reodique (Head of Marketing) and Ritchie Ganaban (Head of Competitions), had the privilege of taking part in a four-day observer programme during the Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.

"This is a very important milestone for us and we hope to meet and exceed expectations," said Mr Mercader. "We are very honoured that the first FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup will be held in our country and I think it is not only an opportunity but also a responsibility for us to use this opportunity to promote and develop the game in our country and perhaps in the region.

"Our government, through the Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Education, is organising what we call the Palarong Pambansa, and these games include a category for women's futsal or girls' futsal," said Mercader, explaining the progress made in his country.

"Around 30,000 futsal players take part in these tournaments, which has contributed greatly to the development of the sport in our country. We also have the Henry V. Moran Foundation, a non-profit organisation that is actively involved in futsal and its development in our country. It has launched programmes called 'Liga Eskwela' (School League) and High 5 Futsal Tournament, in which the best futsal teams can participate, and I believe that some of our national team players will come from this league.”

The programme provided participants with a unique and immersive experience, allowing them to understand the complex logistics, operations and strategic planning required to organise an event of such magnitude.

With the knowledge and experience gained in Uzbekistan, the delegation are now even more confident that the FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup Philippines 2025™ will be a tournament to remember.

"It was an eye-opening experience for me," said San Agustín. "The challenge for us is to replicate something like this. When we first arrived, we only had a rough idea of what the LOC could do. But after talking to FIFA officials and the Local Organising Committee, we have a clear vision."

At every FIFA World Cup, FIFA invites selected sports officials and organisers of future events - both those already scheduled and those still in the planning stages - to see first-hand how things are done in the various areas and what it takes to organise a sporting event of this magnitude.

In 2023, officials from 10 FIFA member associations, four confederations and a number of other sports organisations gained valuable insights into the organisation of the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ as part of the FIFA Observer Programme.

In Uzbekistan, the delegation had the unique opportunity to interact with key stakeholders, from competition directors to event coordinators and the stadium management team.

"FIFA's vision - the vision of our President - is to make football truly global," said Kasra Haghighi, FIFA's Head of Olympic, Futsal & Beach Soccer. "The Philippines wanted to host the tournament and we decided to go there. So we are expanding across borders and going to countries that have never hosted a FIFA tournament before.

"There is a lot to look forward to next year. We expect it to be the best Futsal World Cup ever. The best 16 teams in the world will qualify and this is a unique opportunity for the Philippines.

"The futsal community has been waiting for this moment to host a Women's Futsal World Cup for many years. Now it's happened.

"But when we organise a tournament, it's not just about futsal. We create a vision, we create a dream, it touches people, it touches young people and it leaves a legacy. Part of it is that the children who took part, the volunteers, everyone who was there, will remember the tournament and learn from it. But there is also a tangible legacy: the development of training facilities, competition halls. This will also be available to the next generation. We are already discussing with the Philippine Football Association how the facilities can be used after the tournament."

This valuable exchange of ideas and best practices has laid a solid foundation for the Philippines to rise to the challenge of hosting a remarkable and memorable tournament in 2025. The LOC delegation will undoubtedly return with renewed energy and determination.