FIFA President to watch ASEAN Cup final match in Vietnam
VOV.VN - FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom are expected to watch the second leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup final between Vietnam and Thailand at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on August 26.
The visit was confirmed by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), with the match scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. on August 26. Vietnam take a 2-0 lead into the decisive second leg after beating Thailand at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on August 22.
Infantino’s presence will add further significance to the final, one of the biggest matches on the Southeast Asian football calendar.
The FIFA president is no stranger to the region or to Vietnamese football. He previously attended the 2022 AFF Cup final between Vietnam and Thailand in Bangkok on January 16, 2023, and was also present at the 2021 edition of the regional tournament in Singapore.
Infantino first visited Vietnam in February 2018, shortly after the country’s U23 team finished runners-up at the AFC U23 Asian Cup in China.
The FIFA President also congratulated Vietnam on qualifying for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup. In October 2025, he expressed interest in establishing a football academy in Vietnam.
His return to Hanoi comes as Vietnam prepares for a decisive ASEAN Cup final, with the hosts seeking to protect their two-goal advantage and defend their regional title.
Infantino and Grafström will join senior football officials and other guests in the stands at My Dinh as Vietnam and Thailand meet for the final time in the 2026 ASEAN Cup.
In the first leg, Vietnam secured a two-goal advantage over Thailand. They need only a draw at My Dinh to clinch the 2026 ASEAN Cup title.
If they hold on to their advantage, Vietnam will claim their fourth ASEAN Cup crown and further cement their status as one of Southeast Asia’s leading national teams.
Vietnam beat Thailand 2-0 to take control of ASEAN Cup final
VOV.VN - Vietnam stunned hosts Thailand 2-0 in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on August 22, with second-half goals from substitutes Nguyen Hai Long and Nguyen Quang Hai giving the defending champions a commanding advantage ahead of the return leg in Hanoi.
