Vietnam’s opening opponents to be decided after AFF ASEAN Cup play-off
VOV.VN - Vietnam will begin their AFF ASEAN Cup 2026 title defence with an away Group A match on July 24, but their opening opponents will only be confirmed after the tournament’s play-off round.
Under the schedule, Brunei and Timor-Leste will meet in a two-legged play-off on June 2 and June 9. The winner on aggregate will become Vietnam’s first opponent in Group A at the AFF ASEAN Cup 2026.
After the opening match, Vietnam will return home to host Singapore on July 31 with the aim of securing all three points. Head coach Kim Sang Sik’s side will then travel to Indonesia for a difficult away match on August 3 before concluding the group stage against Cambodia on August 7.
Under tournament rules, the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be played over two legs on August 15-16 and August 18-19.
The two semi-final winners will face off in the final, scheduled over two legs on August 22 and August 26. Match venues and kick-off times have yet to be announced by organisers.
As defending champions, Vietnam are stepping up preparations in a bid to retain the title and reaffirm their status as Southeast Asia’s top football team.
Vietnam plan overseas training camp ahead of AFF Cup 2026
VOV.VN - The Vietnam national team are set to begin preparations earlier than usual for the AFF Cup 2026, with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) considering plans to send the team abroad for a training camp as part of a more structured build-up.
