Fresh from a moving stint in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup that earned the Philippines a silver medal, the Azkals have grown by far in terms of their following, with the Filipino audience being given the opportunity to closely follow the team’s movement.
This has been made possible by ABS-CBN Sports, when it started airing the Azkals’ matches since 2010. That year marked the team’s historic entry into the semifinal round of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.
ABS-CBN Sports has since recognized the team’s rise to both fame and success. This has been made particularly evident with the Philippines’ having risen in the FIFA rankings throughout the years, from as low as being ranked 216 in 2004 all the way to its highest ranking of 127, which was achieved last February of this year.
That climb was made visible by ABS-CBN Sports, as the channel continued to expose the team through constant airing of their matches, specifically in the AFC Challenge Cup, the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, and the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan, where the team finished as the runner-up to the Hong Kong team.
Up next for the Azkals would be the Philippine Peace Cup, set to air on ABS-CBN Sports + Action. It will begin later in the year, where they hold the title of defending champions.
Apart from the Philippine Peace Cup, the Azkals are also to participate in the Group Stage of the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup, also to air on ABS-CBN Sports + Action, which kicks off in November of this year.
[stextbox id=”astig”]For updates, visit the official website of ABS-CBN Sports + Action at www.sports.abs-cbn.com.[/stextbox]