ASIAD undergoes unexpected changes, causing Vietnam to lose its 'unique' position in Southeast Asia.

A new decision from the Asian Olympic Council places the Southeast Asian football landscape at the Asian Games 2026 before significant changes, including the special status once held by Vietnam.

The latest changes regarding the participation format for football at ASIAD 2026 are causing substantial shifts in the Southeast Asian region. According to information from continental sports management bodies, the Asian Olympic Council (OCA) has decided to remove the previously proposed registration restrictions for teams.

Previously, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Japanese Olympic Committee had agreed on a plan to limit the number of participating teams based on recent continental tournament results. However, after much debate and opposition from member associations, OCA rejected this proposal, thereby reopening registration rights for all national federations to participate in football at ASIAD 2026.

According to the previously announced plan, the men's football event at ASIAD 2026 was only for the 16 teams qualifying for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 finals, while women's football was limited to the 12 teams participating in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 finals. Under these criteria, Southeast Asia only had Vietnam and Thailand qualifying for the men's event, and Vietnam and Philippines for the women's event.

Notably, under the old system, Vietnam became the only Southeast Asian team to have representatives in both men's and women's football events at ASIAD 2026. The performance of Vietnam's U23 team at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 finals - where they achieved third place overall - helped Vietnamese football affirm its top regional status and secure a spot in the continent's largest sports event.

However, the context changed after the new decision from OCA. Due “the current situation - including some qualified teams withdrawing and strong opposition from countries not meeting the proposed criteria - OCA decided to reject the participation rule based on qualification level.” This means every national association can now register teams to participate in men's and women's football at ASIAD 2026.

This decision provides a clear advantage to football nations that previously did not meet the conditions. Malaysia and Indonesia, two teams that did not secure spots in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 finals, can now still register to participate in men's football at ASIAD 2026. Simultaneously, other federations in the region also have the right to send women's teams to participate. This makes it highly likely Vietnam will no longer maintain its position as the only Southeast Asian team participating in both men's and women's football events at ASIAD 2026.

For Vietnamese football, the participation plan remains unchanged. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has decided to send the Vietnam U21 team to participate in men's football at ASIAD 2026 to provide exposure opportunities for young players, while the national women's team continues to represent at the continental competition.

In the past, Vietnam football's best achievement at ASIAD was the fourth place at the 2018 Games. At ASIAD 2026, Vietnamese football still aims to improve this performance despite significant changes in the regional context. After OCA reopened registration rights for all federations, it is almost certain Vietnam will no longer be the only Southeast Asian representative participating in both men's and women's football events.Nevertheless, ASIAD remains an important platform for teams to affirm their status at the continental level.