Malaysian media reacts as Vietnam's national team opts not to play at My Dinh Stadium

The New Straits Times (Malaysia) was quite surprised by Vietnam's decision to select Thien Truong Stadium for the upcoming match against Malaysia in March.

The New Straits Times (Malaysia) recently published an article titled: "Thien Truong Stadium to be the new venue for Vietnam vs Malaysia match." Malaysian media showed astonishment that Vietnam did not pick the national My Dinh Stadium for this game.

The article stated: "Malaysia will not play the crucial Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam at their national stadium, My Dinh, on March 31st.

According to Vietnamese media, the Malaysian team will face Vietnam at Thien Truong Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 30,000, located in Nam Dinh. My Dinh Stadium is undergoing a major pitch renovation after being further affected by a large concert scheduled for mid-March.

In an official letter sent to the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Ninh Binh Province, the Vietnam Football Federation proposed coordinating to hold the match at 7:00 PM on March 31, 2026, at Thien Truong Stadium. This move marks a notable change in the national team's home venue choice, following recent games held at Thong Nhat, Binh Duong, and Viet Tri stadiums.

If approved, Thien Truong will become a key home ground for Vietnam in this decisive match for qualification to the 2027 Asian Cup finals. Notably, it is also the home stadium for several national players such as Van Vi, Van Toan, and especially Nguyen Xuan Son, who is expected to play a leading role in the attack.

For Xuan Son specifically, playing on familiar turf holds great significance. The forward missed the first leg against Malaysia, where Vietnam suffered a 0-4 defeat. Returning under these new circumstances, Xuan Son openly expresses his ambition for "revenge," particularly when playing at the passionate Thien Truong stadium where he trains, scores, and receives enthusiastic weekly support.