The Vietnamese women's volleyball team and an important "test" ahead of the Asian Championship and the 2026 Asian Games

With the possibility that this year's VTV Cup may be postponed, the two legs of the 2026 SEA V.Cup are almost the last crucial opportunity for the Vietnamese women's volleyball team to "train and sharpen their skills" before participating in the Asian Championship and the 2026 Asian Games.

This year, our focus is on the Asian Championship and the 2026 Asian Games. Coach Tuan Kiet once shared that the goal of Vietnamese women's volleyball is to do better than what they have achieved in these two important tournaments.

In the Asian Championship, we placed 4th in 2023. In the Asian Games, we also placed 4th in 2023. If we want to repeat those historic milestones, let alone surpass them, we will need to improve greatly in terms of physical fitness, competitive mentality, and technical skills.

The 2026 SEA V.Cup can be considered a "test" to see whether the national women's volleyball team is ready for the fierce competition at the Asian Championship and the 2026 Asian Games.

Apart from the two "giants" China and Japan, who are at a superior level and are naturally considered "top-tier", we now have to compete not only with the Thai women's team but also with a Korean team that is undergoing rejuvenation and is eager to regain its former glory. Not to mention the rise of two opponents that the Vietnamese women's volleyball team used to easily beat in recent years: Indonesia and the Philippines.

Clearly, we are increasingly facing more difficult challenges and the level of competition is becoming more intense.

Coach Tuan Kiet admitted that the Vietnamese women's volleyball team has only narrowed the technical gap, but has not yet reached the level of the Thai women's team, which defeated Canada, Bulgaria, and Brazil to successfully retain their place in the VNL (Volleyball Nations League).

Meanwhile, after thrilling 3-2 victories over South Korea at the 2023 Asian Games and the Asian Championship, we then lost to them 0-3 in the semifinals of the 2026 AVC Cup. The Vietnamese team also only managed to beat Indonesia with a hard-fought 3-2 in that tournament.

What will happen in the two legs of this year's SEA V.Cup, and especially in the first leg, when Coach Tuan Kiet's players face the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand on home soil?

The journey towards new historic milestones at the Asian Championship and the 2026 Asian Games must begin here, from the matches in the two legs of the 2026 SEA V.Cup, especially the two very important matches against the Thai team.

Will Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and her teammates make a difference at home, given that the Thai women's team will be without the services of middle blocker Thatdao, opposite hitter Pimpichaya, outside hitter Chatchu-on Moksri, and setter Pornpun during this trip to Vietnam?