A Filipino youth series has officially made its mark on the international television stage. Love at First Spike, the iWant original sports rom-com starring Emilio Daez, Reign Parani, Sean Tristan, and River Joseph, has been nominated at the 2026 International Emmy Awards, becoming the Philippines’ sole entry in this year’s competition.

The series received its nomination in the Kids: Live Action category, placing it alongside productions from Chile, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The 54th International Emmy Awards will take place in New York on November 23, 2026.

For the cast, the nomination is more than another accolade attached to the series\, it is a major international recognition for a project they helped bring to life. Emilio Daez, Reign Parani, Sean Tristan, and River Joseph are among the performers who became part of Love at First Spike’s ensemble, a story built around high school volleyball, friendship, identity, acceptance, and second chances.

And as news of the nomination broke, the celebration quickly moved online.

The cast took to social media to share their excitement over the recognition, with Daez, Parani, and Tristan among those publicly expressing their happiness about the nomination. Their posts became part of the celebration surrounding the series as fans and supporters congratulated the team for reaching the International Emmy stage.

Director Ivan Andrew Payawal also shared his reaction, reposting the Emmy announcement and writing, “It happened again. Unbelievable!!!!!” The moment carried an added layer of significance for Payawal, whose previous series Gameboys had also received an Emmy nomination in 2021.

Meanwhile, iWant celebrated the achievement through its own social media channels, encouraging viewers to revisit the series and congratulating Love at First Spike for its International Emmy nomination. The platform highlighted the show’s journey to the global stage while reminding audiences that all of its episodes remain available to stream for free.

The nomination also puts the spotlight back on the show’s young ensemble. Love at First Spike follows Uno Santillan, played by Emilio Daez, a former basketball team captain who joins his school’s boys’ volleyball team to retain his scholarship. The story places him alongside a predominantly LGBTQIA+ volleyball team and explores themes surrounding acceptance, gender expectations, and the experiences of student athletes.