Indonesian newspaper warns about unusual moves by Vietnamese football

Indonesia and Vietnam are leading candidates for advancing from Group A and are also key competitors for the championship in the tournament scheduled for July.

Indonesia’s Superball newspaper begins: “The journey of Vietnam’s national team at the 2026 AFF Cup will receive support from many sides, from the federation to the domestic league operators.”

On February 5th, the organizing committee of the 2025/2026 V-League announced the schedule for the next phase of the season. Notably, the season will end earlier than usual; instead of finishing at the end of June, the final round of the 2025/2026 V-League will take place on June 7, 2026.

Shortening the schedule by about three weeks is seen as a strategic decision, providing Vietnam’s national team more time to prepare for the 2026 AFF Cup. Indonesian media analyzed in detail the adjustment of the V-League schedule to optimize benefits for the national team.

According to Superball, not only the V-League but other professional leagues have also been adjusted accordingly. The First Division is expected to conclude by June 6, and the National Cup final will be held before June 15.

“Vietnam’s proactive ‘clearing of the schedule’ to facilitate preparation is a clear signal that they are approaching the 2026 AFF Cup with the most serious planning, which Indonesia’s national team must be especially cautious about,” warned Superball.

In the 2026 AFF Cup, Vietnam will be one of Indonesia’s direct rivals in the group stage. Both teams are in Group A, along with Singapore, Cambodia, and either Timor Leste or Brunei.

Vietnam will start their group stage campaign with an away match against Timor Leste or Brunei on July 24. Then, they will host Singapore on July 31 before traveling to Indonesia three days later. Coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad will close the group stage by hosting Cambodia on August 7.

In the group stage, only the top two teams will advance to the semifinals, scheduled for August 15–16 and 18–19. Vietnam is the reigning Southeast Asian champion after an emotional victory over Thailand in the 2024 AFF Cup.