Why are only Vietnam and Thailand from Southeast Asia participating in ASIAD 2026?

The updated rules for ASIAD 2026 restrict men's football entries according to qualification for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, resulting in only Vietnam and Thailand representing Southeast Asia. Why was this adjustment made?

Vietnam and Thailand will be the rare representatives of Southeast Asia to compete in the men's football event at the 2026 Asian Games, which is scheduled to take place in August in Japan. This information comes from new regulations jointly agreed upon by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) for the upcoming Games.

According to the recently updated rules, ASIAD 2026 allocates only 16 slots for men's football, and the selection criteria are directly linked to performance in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship final tournament. In other words, only teams that qualify for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship final tournament are eligible to participate in ASIAD. Therefore, many teams in the region and across the continent such as Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and Oman, despite their ambitions, must stay out if they fail to pass the U23 qualification round.

This is considered a major change compared to recent Asian Games editions. Previously, the number of men's football teams was more open and not strictly dependent on the U23 tournament. In ASIAD 2022, there were as many as 21 teams competing; ASIAD 2018 even reached 26 teams. Having too many teams caused many matches to have large disparities, leading to less competitive balance and increasing the organizational burden on the host country.

By reducing the number of teams and selecting them based on U23 standards, the organizers aim to improve competition quality, limit one-sided matches, and reduce pressure on scheduling, venues, travel, and logistics.

For Vietnam, ASIAD 2026 is also an opportunity to test young talent as part of a long-term plan. The squad will likely focus on players born in 2005 or later, such as Cao Văn Bình, Thành Trung, Văn Thuận, and Lê Phát. This generation is seen as one that can be developed toward future goals, especially the 2028 AFC U23 Championship campaign.

In women's football, the qualification system is also standardized based on continental performance: the 12 teams participating in the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup (in March) will earn spots at ASIAD 2026. Within Southeast Asia, besides the Vietnam women's team, the Philippines is also included in this list.