EDITOR'S NOTE: Multimedia journalist Vania Patino spoke with a Filipina American soccer fan and the former coach of two players on the Philippines women's national team about the country's first appearance in the World Cup. Click the arrow above to watch the video.
LONG BEACH, Calif. — When the Philippines Women's national soccer team plays its next World Cup match Saturday night in New Zealand, Avery Rivas will stay up well past her bedtime to watch.
Avery, an 11-year-old Filipino American soccer player from Long Beach, can't miss the opportunity to watch history in the making and possibly watch her future team.
"Watching them play makes me proud to be Filipina," she said to Spectrum News. "I would love to play for them if I get the opportunity."
World Cup fever has hit the Filipino American community in Southern California and nationwide like a Sarina Bolden strike into the goal.
Bars and families are hosting midnight and early morning watch parties. During games, casual Filipino fans are wearing Philippines flag-inspired shirts and jerseys.
Kirk Nishikawa, owner of Brewyard Beer Company in Glendale, is expecting more than 100 Filipinas fans to flock to his venue Saturday night.
As they did in the first game, a local Facebook group, SoCal Filipinos, hosts the watch party when the Filipinas team faces off against Norway. A win could get the team to the final 16 knockout round.
"In the first game, this place was packed," Nishikawa said to Spectrum News on Friday. "We had Filipino news stations and members of the Philippines consulate here. Every seat was filled and people were spilling out into the patio. The LAFC Filipino chapter came and was banging their drums."
The bar was closed Monday when the team won against host New Zealand. He's expecting a similar packed party scene Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
"We know the drill. We just want to make sure we're staffed appropriately," he said, adding that the bar can accommodate more than 150 people.
Eighteen of the 23 women on the Philippines World Cup roster were born in the United States. Several are from Southern California, where the team trains. Quinley Quezada is from Rosemead and played at U.C. Riverside. Goalie Olivia Davies-McDaniel and sister and forward Chandler McDaniel are from Corona. Many others have SoCal ties.
Steve Angeles, an ABS-CBN/The Filipino Channel broadcast reporter, has followed the team for almost nine years. He remembers when the team was being assembled here in Southern California.
"A lot of these players have grown a lot," said Angeles, adding that many only spoke English when they first joined the team, but some are now talking Tagalog to media and embracing their heritage.
Angeles said one of the biggest reasons why so many Filipino American fans are rooting for this team is because many can relate to their journey.
"These are the daughters of immigrants," said Angeles. "Their journey is representative of the millions of OFWs, the Overseas Filipino Workers, who had to leave the Philippines to support their families."
According to CNN Philippines, there are more than 1.2 million OFWs, and the billions they send home make up about 10% of the country's gross domestic product.
Angeles also said this is the first time a Philippines national women's soccer team has made it to the World Cup, making it much more significant.
"We haven't seen this in our lifetimes," he said. "Boxing, basketball and beauty pageants are what Filipinos follow. So, this is blowing their minds."
While Filipino Americans are watching and rooting for the team, the team is making a bigger impact on young Filipino American soccer players.
The U.S. women's soccer system is one of the most competitive in the world. Thousands of players try to be among the 23 chosen for the U.S. women's senior team every year. But thousands more are left out.
"It is really tough," said Christopher Estiandan, a Las Vegas-based businessman whose daughter was part of the U.S. Olympic Development Program. "It's very competitive and hard to get seen and recognized."
When Estiandan heard about the open tryouts in Long Beach to join one of the Philippines' national soccer development programs, they jumped at the opportunity.
Estiandan's daughter, Clara, is 15 years old and a member of the Philippine Under-17 Women's national team. The team recently secured qualification for the second round of the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2024 qualifiers.
"It's an amazing opportunity to play with such high-level players around the world," said Clara, a goalkeeper for the Philippines youth squad and a member of Heat FC in Las Vegas.
She said watching the Philippines team do well is "motivating and inspiring."
"It's inspiring for us younger players and so motivating," she said. "I want to be where the senior players are on the team right now."
Estiandan said having his daughter be part of the Philippines' squad is a chance for her to reconnect with her roots, her motherland.
"Once she started playing for the Philippines, she had that sense of pride and Filipino nationality," he said. "She would wear her jersey and training kit every day. She stood up and learned the lyrics of the Philippine national anthem. She's getting more interested in the Philippines, its history, and culture."
Avery said watching the team motivates her to play better on the pitch.
"Their passion and work ethic inspires me to always work hard no matter the opponent," she said.