Hanoi Police to play Adelaide United for AFC Champions League Elite spot

VOV.VN - Vietnamese football club Hanoi Police will travel to Australia to take on Adelaide United on August 11 in a crucial play-off match for a place in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 group stage.

The match will be played at Adelaide United’s home stadium, as the Australian club hold a higher seeding ranking in the East Zone.

Under AFC regulations, the higher-ranked member association on the AFC club competition rankings is granted hosting rights for the play-off fixture. Australia currently rank fifth in the East Asian region, while Vietnam sit seventh. As a result, Adelaide United enter the tie as the seeded team and will enjoy home advantage.

For Hanoi Police, a victory would secure the club’s first-ever appearance in the group stage of the AFC Champions League Elite, the continent’s premier club competition.

Should they fail to advance, the Hanoi-based side will instead compete in the AFC Champions League Two, Asia’s second-tier club tournament.

The play-off is scheduled during a period when the Vietnam national team are expected to assemble for preparations ahead of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026. This presents a potential challenge, as Hanoi Police currently boast several national team players within its squad.

The Vietnam Football Federation said it has been coordinating with the club to develop flexible personnel arrangements, balancing national team commitments with the club’s continental campaign.

The objective is to ensure both the national team and Vietnamese club representatives are adequately prepared for their respective international competitions.

For the 2026/27 season, Vietnam has been allocated two places in AFC club tournaments.

While Hanoi Police will compete in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off, The Cong Viettel have secured a direct place in the AFC Champions League Two group stage.

According to the latest East Asian club ranking, Vietnam currently sit seventh behind Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, China, Australia and Malaysia, allowing the country to maintain representation in the two highest tiers of AFC club football.

The upcoming clash in Australia will therefore carry significance not only for Hanoi Police but also for Vietnamese football’s ambitions of strengthening its presence on the continental stage.