Jaclyn Sawicki will be joined by fellow Philippine women’s football team members Katrina Guillou and Bella Flanigan in the country’s bid to do well on home soil in the inaugural Fifa Futsal Women’s World Cup, which starts on Nov. 21 at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
A key fixture during the Filipinas’ debut in the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup, Sawicki hopes to do the same on the indoor scene for the Filipina5 as they face Poland, Morocco and Argentina in Group A.
Sawicki is one of 14 players named to coach Rafa Merino’s roster for the competition that will last until Dec. 7, including Guillou and Flanigan, who have been part of the Filipina5 program since January.
Also on the roster are Filipinas pool members Inday Tolentin, Charisa Lemoran, Catherine Graversen and Judy Connolly, Alisha del Campo, Samantha Hughes, Regine Rebosura, Rocelle Mendano, Isabella Bandoja, Lanie Ortillo and Kayla Santiago.
The Filipina5 begin their campaign on the first opening gameday of the competition against Poland, followed by a matchup with Morocco on Nov. 24 before wrapping up the group stage with a big fixture opposite Argentina on Nov. 27.
The top two teams in the group will advance to the quarterfinals.
The team recently held a two-week camp in Spain where the Filipina5 faced local clubs and the Spain national squad in exhibition matches.
Sawicki, who turned 33 last Friday, appeared in all three matches for the Philippines in the 2023 World Cup, and was used heavily playing the role of central midfield.