2026 AFC Futsal Championship: Vietnam's Young Team Faces a Tough Test Against Kuwait

This year's tournament continues to highlight the rapid growth of Asian futsal, with participation from many traditionally strong teams such as Iran, Thailand, Japan, Saudi Arabia, alongside emerging teams from the region. Iran remains a dominant force in this competition, while several young squads aim to cause upsets.

At this championship, the Vietnam futsal team embarks on their campaign with high determination. Under coach Diego Giustozzi, they start in Group B with a match against Kuwait on the afternoon of January 27. Subsequently, Vietnam will face Lebanon on January 29 and Thailand on January 31.

At the pre-group stage press conference, Coach Diego Giustozzi emphasized the need for full concentration in every match, especially the opener. The Argentine coach stated, “In Asia, any team can cause surprises. If you don’t perform at 100% and stay fully focused, you can lose to any opponent.”

Coach Giustozzi also acknowledged that the defeat at the 2024 AFC Futsal Championship, when the team failed to qualify for the World Cup, was a crucial lesson. Since then, the coaching staff has chosen a new direction, focusing on building a youthful squad with a more proactive and energetic attacking style. This approach aims toward long-term goals, including the 2028 World Cup.

Although the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship does not directly determine World Cup qualification, it is still regarded as an important stepping stone in developing Vietnam’s futsal squad, especially with 6 to 7 players in the current lineup aged 20 to 21.