The Philippine women’s softball team is in the final phase of its preparations for the 2026 WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup in Lima, Peru.
The group stage of the World Cup is slated from July 14 to 18 at the Villa María del Triunfo Softball Stadium.
Backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, the world No. 13 Blu Girls head into the tournament after completing an intensive training camp in Japan, where the squad honed its skills and chemistry ahead of the biggest competition in women’s softball.
For Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asa-Phil) president Jean Henri Lhuillier, the tournament represents another opportunity for the Blu Girls to prove they can compete at an elite level.
“Our players have worked tirelessly to prepare for this moment, and we are confident they will represent the Philippines with heart, discipline, and resilience. Every game is an opportunity to showcase the growth of Philippine softball and demonstrate that our athletes can compete with the very best on the international stage,” said Lhuillier, who is also president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.
Head coach Ana Santiago echoed that same confidence, describing the training camp in Japan as productive and inspirational, saying it provided valuable experience to the Blu Girls as they take on some of the best teams in the world in the group stage.
“We will do the best we can and we will show how competitive the Filipinos are on the world stage. We will give them a good fight,” said Santiago.
The Blu Girls open their campaign against world No. 16 Venezuela on July 14 before facing tournament favorite and top ranked Japan the following day. They will then take on Puerto Rico and Great Britain on July 16 before wrapping up the group stage against host Peru on July 17. The playoff is scheduled on July 18.
The top two teams from each of the three groups plus two wild cards and the best third-place team advance to the final round.
The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup will also serve as a crucial step towards qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.
With Cebuana Lhuillier’s continued support and a rigorous international training program behind them, the Blu Girls head into the tournament determined to compete with the world’s best and continue elevating Philippine softball on the global stage.
