Vietnam to play Japan at Women's Asian Cup, eye World Cup spot
VOV.VN - Vietnam will play former World Cup and multiple-time Asian Cup champions Japan in the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup Group C alongside India and Taiwan (China), according to the official draw held in Sydney, Australia, on July 29.
Among these teams, Japan are widely regarded as the strongest and a top contender for the group’s top spot. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese squad, coached by Mai Duc Chung, are seen as stronger than India and Taiwan, giving them a realistic chance of competing for second place and a spot in the quarterfinals.
“In my opinion, Japan remains the top team in Asia and is likely to finish first in Group C. Vietnam will have to fight for second place with India and Chinese Taipei. Both are strong teams, and the challenges will be significant. We need to be well-prepared and highly determined for the upcoming final tournament,” said coach Chung after the draw.
Meanwhile, team Captain Huynh Nhu was excited about the upcoming opponents, saying, “These are quite familiar teams to us. I believe this is a group where Vietnam has a real chance of reaching the quarterfinals if we play to our strengths.”
According to the tournament format, after the group stage, the top two teams in each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will qualify for the quarterfinals. The four quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinals and earn direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
Among the four quarterfinal losers, two teams will compete in Asian play-off matches for the remaining World Cup spots. In total, six Asian teams will qualify directly for the tournament in Brazil. The two teams finishing 7th and 8th will proceed to FIFA intercontinental play-offs to compete for the final available spots.
The 2026 Women’s Asian Cup is scheduled to kick off in Australia from March 1 to 21. It is not only the region’s premier competition but also serves as a direct qualification tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, scheduled to take place in Brazil.
With a favourable draw, the Vietnam women’s national team have a real chance to make their mark at the continental level and pursue a second consecutive World Cup appearance.
Vietnam qualify for 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, keep World Cup hopes alive
VOV.VN - The Vietnam women’s national football team have officially booked their place at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup after a dominant 4-0 win over Guam on July 5 at Viet Tri Stadium in northern Phu Tho province.
