National team to play three friendlies abroad during FIFA Days in October

The local footballers will take part in a training course in China this October where they will play away a game against China on October 10 before then taking on Uzbekistan on October 13.

A day later will see the Vietnamese team travel to the RoK for a training camp. They will then have an international friendly match with the Korean team in Suwon city in the RoK at 6 p.m. (Vietnam time) on October 17.

According to the latest rankings released by football’s governing body FIFA, Vietnam are in 95th place. Meanwhile, the RoK are 28th, Uzbekistan are in 74th, and China are ranked 80th, with all of these future opponents being higher than Vietnam in the world’s rankings.

Previously, FIFA Days in June and September saw the Thien Truong Stadium host to two friendly matches between Vietnam against Syria and Palestine, respectively.

The 1-0 win over Syria and 2-0 victory against Palestine helped Vietnam to accumulate points and duly improve their position in the global rankings.

By being ranked among the world’s top 100 and Asia’s top 20 sides, the Vietnamese national team won’t be required to take part in a play-off round in order to progress through to the group stage of qualifiers for both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

All 36 teams in the region are set to be divided into nine groups, with the best two teams ultimately making it through to the third qualification round of the Asian region for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as well as making the finals of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

The team are scheduled to compete in World Cup qualifiers from mid-November to June, 2024.

Vietnam have been drawn in Group F alongside the Philippines, Iraq, and the winner of the upcoming play-off match between Indonesia and Brunei. Vietnam’s opening match against the Philippines is set to take place on November 16.