Vietnam's U23 team officially appoints a new head coach to replace Coach Kim Sang Sik.

Coach Dinh Hong Vinh will take on the position of Acting Head Coach, guiding Vietnam's U23 team in the CFA Team China – Xi'an 2026 friendly competition.

The Vietnam U23 national team will officially regroup on March 17 in Hanoi with 30 summoned players, preparing for the CFA Team China – Xi'an 2026 International Football Tournament. This is the team's first gathering since the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals, and it is part of the plan to build a squad for the upcoming important objectives of Vietnam's youth football.

During this training session, Assistant Coach Dinh Hong Vinh continues to be assigned the responsibility of Acting Head Coach of Vietnam's U23 team. This decision was made in the context that Head Coach Kim Sang Sik must dedicate all his time to the national team during the FIFA Days in March 2026. Therefore, Mr. Dinh Hong Vinh will directly lead the U23 team in the preparation process and participation in the tournament in China.

In reality, Coach Dinh Hong Vinh is not unfamiliar with Vietnam's youth teams. Recently, this strategist has frequently accompanied Vietnam's U22 and U23 teams in many training sessions and international competitions. His contributions are evaluated positively, helping the youth teams maintain professional stability and achieve many promising results.

In this training session, the coaching staff of Vietnam's U23 team will focus on reviewing and evaluating the squad to build a successor team for the national team. Many key players from the previous U23 generation have exceeded the age limit or been called up to the Vietnam national team, therefore the current squad will prioritize young players born between 2005 and 2007. This core group is also expected to aim for the goal of participating in the men's football event at the 2026 Asian Games.

According to the plan, Vietnam's U23 team will participate in the CFA Team China – Xi'an 2026 international friendly tournament held from March 25 to March 31 in Xi'an city (China). Initially, the team was not scheduled to compete in March, but after U23 Iran withdrew, the Chinese Football Association sent an invitation for Vietnam's U23 team to join this tournament.

This year's tournament gathers four teams including host U23 China, U23 Vietnam, U23 Thailand, and U23 North Korea. The teams will compete in a single round-robin format to determine the final rankings. Participating in this tournament is seen by the Vietnam Football Federation as a good opportunity for young players to accumulate international experience, while also building a foundation for the long-term goals of Vietnamese football.