Vietnam drawn into tough group at 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup
VOV.VN - Vietnam will play in a tough group alongside strong opponents like Japan, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup final round, according to the drawing results announced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Malaysia on January 23.
Japan, which had won the championship of the tournament four times in 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2023, are considered Vietnam's toughest challenge in group B.
Australia which had progressed through to the tournament’s semi-finals for three times, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also archrivals.
The tournament will take place from April 3 to 20 in Saudi Arabia, with 16 teams participating, including 15 teams that passed the qualifying round and hosts Saudi Arabia.
The team are divided into four groups, and the two group winners will not only advance to the quarter-finals, but will also ensure their slots in the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.
Vietnam U-17 secured second place in Group I of the qualifiers, behind Yemen, and were drawn into Pot 3 for the final tournament, alongside Thailand, Oman, and Afghanistan. The teams in Pot 1 included hosts Saudi Arabia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Iran, while Pot 2 included Australia, Yemen, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
Currently, the biggest challenge for Vietnam U17 is that they do not have a head coach after Coach Cristiano Roland moved to lead Da Nang FC. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is expected to announce a new head coach soon to ensure proper preparation for the tournament.
