Vietnam to play Iran in AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2026

The draw, conducted by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 10 placed the 12 participating teams into three groups of four. Vietnam were drawn in Group B alongside Iran, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

Iran will pose the toughest challenge for Vietnam. The West Asian side are the reigning champions and hold the record for most AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup titles, having lifted the trophy four times.

At the 2025 edition in Thailand, Iran underlined their strength by defeating Oman 8-1 in the final to successfully defend their title and become the most successful team in the competition’s history.

Lebanon and Afghanistan, meanwhile, are likely to be the sides Vietnam will target in their bid to advance from the group stage.

New format gives Vietnam another route

Under this year’s format, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed sides, will advance to the quarter-finals.

That gives teams finishing outside the top two an additional route into the knockout stage. For Vietnam, a strong enough record could therefore make one of the two third-place berths a realistic path to the quarter-finals.

Group A features hosts Thailand, Japan, Bahrain and Iraq, while Group C comprises Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.

Japan are three-time Asian champions, while Bahrain won the title in 2006. Oman were champions in 2015, with the UAE having lifted the trophy twice.

Tournament doubles as World Cup qualification pathway

The AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2026 will take place in Phang Nga, Thailand, from November 18 to 28, with 12 teams competing in the continental championship. The tournament is the 12th edition of the competition.

The event will also form part of the qualification pathway for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2027. The AFC has moved the continental tournament to November 2026, a year ahead of the next World Cup, giving the participating teams more preparation time for the global competition.

The Football Association of Thailand has also confirmed that the 2026 tournament will serve as the Asian qualification event for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2027.

Vietnam will be looking to improve on their performance at last year’s tournament. Drawn in the same group as Oman, Bahrain and Malaysia in 2025, Vietnam opened with a 7-1 defeat to Oman, before earning their first-ever win in the competition by beating Bahrain 4-2 after extra time. They then lost 3-1 to Malaysia in their final group match, ending their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

The new format gives Vietnam an additional route into the knockout stage this year. To make the most of it, however, they will need to collect enough points across the group stage, particularly against Lebanon and Afghanistan.

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