Which tournaments in 2026 are awaiting Vietnam football to conquer?

The year 2026 is expected to be a hectic and hopeful period for Vietnamese football, with national teams at multiple levels, including men's, women's, futsal, and beach soccer, regularly competing in significant tournaments across the region and Asia.

This is not only an opportunity for the teams to assert their position in Southeast Asia but also a measure of Vietnam football’s capability and squad depth on the Asian stage, aiming for long-term goals in the future.

At the end of March, all attention will focus on the crucial match between Vietnam’s national team and Malaysia at home during the qualifiers for the 2027 Asian Cup. If the AFC rules against Malaysia due to illegal naturalization, the chances for Coach Kim Sang Sik’s team to advance are very high, possibly even avoiding the second leg if Malaysia is banned from competing by the AFC.

Following that, the team will defend their title at the 2026 ASEAN Cup (AFF Cup), scheduled from July 24 to August 26. The draw will take place on January 15, and the "Golden Star Warriors" aim to maintain their top position in Southeast Asia after the 2024 championship.

For the Vietnamese women’s team, 2026 marks their participation in the Women's Asian Cup finals in Australia from March 1 to March 21. The Vietnamese girls will face India (March 4), Chinese Taipei (March 7), and Japan (March 10) in the group stage, with the goal of causing surprises against strong opponents.

Additionally, the women’s team will compete in the 20th Asian Games (Asiad) in Japan. Meanwhile, the men's football is targeting sending the U21 Vietnam team to prepare for future SEA Games and, further ahead, to compete at the 2028 Olympics.

Youth teams such as U17 and U20, both male and female, aim for significant achievements in the Asian Championships.

Vietnam’s women’s futsal team and men’s futsal team will participate in the Southeast Asian Championships, held in March (women) and April (men) respectively in Thailand.

Moreover, the men’s beach soccer team will compete in both the Southeast Asian and Asian Championships.

The year 2026 will be a chance for Vietnamese football to affirm its status in Southeast Asia and seek opportunities on the Asian map, especially in youth and futsal competitions. It is hoped that the teams will bring home proud achievements, continuing the legacy from 2025.