Vietnam's futsal team gets familiar with the official competition venue

The Vietnam futsal team is finalizing preparations for their debut match at the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship.

On the afternoon of January 25, the Vietnam futsal team held a practice session to get accustomed to the official venue, International Jakarta Velodrome – the site hosting the matches for the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship. After training, newly appointed captain Nguyen Manh Dung confirmed that the entire squad is ready for the tournament.

According to Nguyen Manh Dung, the arena is spacious, well-ventilated, with excellent lighting that ensures good visibility for the players. However, the playing surface has a higher level of friction compared to their previous training ground. “The arena is very beautiful and well-lit, but the floor here is different from our training court; the ball doesn’t roll smoothly and bounces a bit. Nevertheless, having a session to familiarize ourselves will help the whole team adjust ball control and improve situational handling,” the Vietnam futsal team captain shared.

Replacing Pham Duc Hoa as captain, Nguyen Manh Dung stated that the team has prepared seriously and methodically over the past period. “We underwent solid training, played two quality friendlies against Afghanistan to assess our squad and match intensity. Here in Indonesia, the team frequently holds meetings to review and refine tactics aiming for a successful tournament,” Manh Dung said.

Currently, about two-thirds of the Vietnam futsal team members are attending the AFC Futsal Championship for the first time. Still, captain Manh Dung expressed confidence in the young players: “The young players show confidence, good spirit, and are improving technically. As captain, I will strive to support and encourage them to play confidently and fully utilize their abilities.”

Returning to the practice session, making full use of the 60 minutes arranged by the organizers, coach Diego Giustozzi had his players work on various tactical drills, group coordination, and gameplay scenarios to help them quickly adapt to the official playing surface and avoid any surprises in the opening match.

In the group stage, Vietnam will face Thailand, Kuwait, and Lebanon in succession. Regarding these opponents, Nguyen Manh Dung commented: “They are all very strong teams. We have met Kuwait and Lebanon in previous tournaments, but at the Asian level, every opponent is highly skilled. As coach Diego Giustozzi emphasized, we need thorough preparation and full concentration for each match.”