Vietnam was honored by the AFC for the historic achievement of qualifying for the World Cup.

The AFC acknowledged the Vietnam women's team’s success in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup by including it among the “9 Greatest Moments” in the history of Asian women's football.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Recently, ahead of the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, the AFC highlighted the Vietnam women's team’s achievement by listing it as one of the “9 Greatest Moments” in the history of women’s football on the continent. This recognition is seen as a fitting tribute to the emotional journey of coach Mai Duc Chung and his players throughout 2022.

On February 14, the AFC officially announced the voting list, naming Vietnam’s qualification for the 2023 Women’s World Cup as “Vietnam Overcoming Adversity.” This event quickly caught the attention of regional fans, as the red-shirted team’s feat stood alongside many historic milestones of leading Asian football nations.

To recreate this milestone, the AFC posted a 35-second video showcasing key goals scored by the Vietnam women’s team during the 2022 Asian Championship play-offs – which also served as the 2023 World Cup qualifiers. After exiting at the quarterfinals, Vietnam entered a decisive playoff round against Thailand and Chinese Taipei to compete for Asia’s final World Cup spot.

Under intense pressure, coach Mai Duc Chung’s squad demonstrated impressive resilience. Vietnam defeated Thailand 2-0 and Chinese Taipei 2-1. The four goals by Huynh Nhu, Thai Thi Thao, Chuong Thi Kieu, and Bich Thuy were not only crucial competitively but also marked a historic milestone as it was the first time Vietnam’s women’s football team qualified for a World Cup.

The AFC described this achievement as a journey of “overcoming adversity and advancing under immense pressure.” Vietnam’s moment was listed alongside eight other memorable milestones such as North Korea ending China’s dominance (2001), Australia’s first championship (2010), Japan completing their trophy collection (2014), and South Korea reaching the final in 2022.

The voting will conclude on February 20, just before the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup kicks off in Australia in early March. In this tournament, Vietnam’s women’s team is placed in Group C with Japan, India, and Chinese Taipei, starting with a match against India on March 4. The AFC’s recognition is expected to inspire the red-shirted players to continue making new history for Vietnamese women’s football.