Gilas Pilipinas Women squad eyes more friendly matches in preparation for the FIBA World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournaments in Mexico and Rwanda from 19 to 25 August.

Gilas Women head coach Patrick Aquino said he is looking at pitting his players against clubs and national teams to prepare them for the prestigious tourney that serves as the gateway to the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin in 2026.

The Filipinas will know their group assignment when the International Basketball Federation holds its draw on 25 April in Switzerland with 16 squads from Africa, Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania being sorted into eight teams per venue.

The winners in the Pre-Qualifying Tournament and those who emerge successful in the FIBA Women’s Continental Cup 2025 will advance to the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.

“Either of the two venues, hopefully, we could get a one–week training camp in Manila and go around the country just to promote women’s basketball. Then the training camp here and abroad before the tournament itself,” Aquino told DAILY TRIBUNE.

“It’s still in the planning stages to where we will go,” Aquino added.

Aquino said they are hoping to join a local professional or semi-professional league so they can get in shape as they enter the crucial stretch of the pre-qualifiers.

“I hope the breaks won’t be long. We just did a summit for the women’s team. We’d like to have a professional or semi-professional league for the women’s that would be beneficial for the players,” Aquino said.

“Getting to experience the best teams playing together and the national team program, we have to get the best of the best for the national team.”