Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia are the most decorated teams in ASEAN Cup history and also the four best names in this year's tournament.

Reporter Wang Wei reports: On the evening of August 9, the 18th round of the 2026 China League One season, the highly anticipated Guangdong-Guangxi Derby kicked off at Yuexiu Mountain Stadium.

Special Contributor: Su Youpeng. On the evening of August 8th, Suzhou Dongwu defeated Changchun Yatai 2-1 at home. With 2 wins and 2 draws in their last 4 matches, Suzhou Dongwu has gradually climbed from the bottom of the standings. They now have 14 points, 3 points clear of the relegation zone. Suzhou is the city with the highest GDP in Jiangsu Province. Although the Suzhou team in the Suzhou Super League is currently the top priority for Suzhou sports, professional football also needs to be "saved."

HAGL travels to Thailand for pre-season training, notably featuring a match against the team of coach Park Hang-seo.

Southeast Asia is about to have two national team tournaments that seem similar but differ greatly in FIFA Days, squads, format, and organizing bodies.

The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 brings together 14 teams, including 11 Southeast Asian representatives and 3 guest teams, promising to create a new look for regional football.

The Philippines recently exited the 2026 AFF Cup at the group stage, but that was not the strongest version of this team. With the FIFA ASEAN Cup taking place during FIFA Days, coach Carles Cuadrat has the opportunity to recall numerous key players who are active abroad and build a much more formidable squad.

Diana Bianchedi has officially been chosen as the head of the Italian national football team, replacing the legendary Gianluigi Buffon. The decision by FIGC President Giovanni Malagò immediately drew attention, not only because Bianchedi does not come from a football background but also because she holds a key position in the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), leading to controversy over potential conflicts of interest.

Malaysia enters the 2026 ASEAN Cup semifinals as the underdog, but coach Tan Cheng Hoe certainly does not want past encounters with Vietnam to become a recurring nightmare.

The Vietnam national team finished the group stage of the 2026 ASEAN Cup with top spot, 10 points, 13 goals scored, and only one goal conceded. Those numbers demonstrate the overwhelming strength of the defending champions, and Dinh Bac has also been a standout.