IRVINE, California — The national women’s U17 football team conducted a US Talent Identification Camp from 30 January to 3 February at the Great Park Sports Complex here, bringing together over 150 US-based Filipina players for a five-day national team evaluation program.
The camp formed a key part of the national team’s preparations for the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup, which will be held in Suzhou, China, from 30 April to 17 May. The tournament also serves as the qualification pathway to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
The camp also marked the return of Nahuel “Naz” Arrarte, who will lead the program as head coach of the national squad.
Arrarte previously served as assistant coach of the Filipinas in the previous World Cup, bringing continuity and extensive international experience as the team builds toward the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup and World Cup qualification pathway.
The official draw for the competition is scheduled to take place on 12 February at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The US camp marked the implementation of a structured, standards-based talent identification framework aimed at identifying, evaluating, and tracking Filipina players across multiple age groups.
Participants included players born 2009 to 2011, reflecting the program’s focus on early identification and long-term development as the team builds toward continental and global competition.
The initiative represents a shift toward a more consistent and sustainable approach to talent identification, particularly for Filipina players based outside the Philippines. By evaluating players within a unified technical and developmental framework, the national team aims to strengthen continuity between youth and senior programs and build a deeper player pipeline over time.
The camp served as an identification and monitoring platform, rather than a selection event. Participation did not imply national team selection, as players are assessed and tracked longitudinally to account for the non-linear nature of youth development.