The departure comes days before the Philippines are set to compete in the Merdeka Cup 2024 where they will face hosts Malaysia on September 4.

“From my first meeting with Tom, this is something we had discussed — that if a bigger opportunity came to him, I wouldn’t stand in his way. Tom came into the Philippine job with every intention of helping with our project, but his heart has always been in Africa. We thank him for his service and wish him well in his new role,” said PFF National Teams Director Freddy Gonzalez in a statement via X.

Under Saintfiet's stewardship, the Philippines finished the Preliminary Joint Qualification – Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ with a point from six matches.

Before taking the reins in the Philippines, Saintfiet led the Gambian national team from 2018 to 2024, steering them to a quarter-final appearance at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.