OFWs in Bahrain, Kuwait gear up for Azkals as FIFA keeps watchful eye

By Earl Victor Rosero, GMA News


Hundreds of Filipino expatriates in Bahrain and Kuwait have mobilized for the matches of the men's national football team, more popularly known as the Azkals, in these Persian Gulf countries.

The team is winding up its training sessions in Manila and will head out to the Middle East Thursday while the global football community keeps an eye on the Azkals' historic series of wins.

Overseas Filipino workers in the countries the Azkals will visit have been coordinating their preparations on Facebook and through text messages. The Facebook group Azkals in Bahrain has about 200 members. While some sell Azkals T-shirts and bumper stickers, others arrange bus rides that will ferry Filipinos to the First Bahrain-Philippines Football Friendship Games.

The first friendly match of the Azkals with Bahrain's Under-23 olympic team will be on July 16 at the National Stadium in Rifa while Game 2 will be two days later at the Muharraq Club Stadium in Arad. Both matches are under the auspices of the Bahrain Football Association. The AMA University International Bahrain is listed as a major sponsor of the friendlies. Tickets to the games are priced at one Bahraini dinar or P114.

Over in Kuwait, northwest of Bahrain, Filipino expats there have set-up Facebook groups and event pages to coordinate their preparations and share information about the Azkals. Tickets to the World Cup Qualifier Round 2 match will be sold at two, three and five Kuwaiti dinars or P311, P467 and P770.

Some of the tickets will be available at various Filipino restaurants and stores in Kuwait City.

GMA News