Determining the first match of AFF Cup 2026: When will Vietnam's national team play?

AFF Cup 2026 is about to begin with the group stage draw event taking place on January 15th.

The Southeast Asian Football Championship – the region’s most prestigious national team tournament – will officially be renamed ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 following a partnership with a renowned sponsor. Next year’s tournament will be especially significant as it marks the 30th anniversary of its establishment and growth in July and August 2026, bringing together 11 top teams from the region to compete for the crown.

The introduction of the name ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 has dispelled doubts about the AFF Cup being discontinued after FIFA announced plans to organize the FIFA ASEAN Cup. It is likely that the FIFA-backed tournament will operate on a four-year cycle similar to the FIFA Arab Cup for Arab countries, while the traditional AFF Cup will continue biennially to serve regional fans.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the official draw of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026, which will take place on January 15, 2026, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Before the group stage begins, two thrilling play-off matches to decide the final spot will be played over two legs on June 2nd and June 9th.

It is known that 9 teams will qualify directly for the group stage: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the defending champions Vietnam. The two teams competing in the play-offs will be East Timor and Brunei. This will also mark the first match of the special edition AFF Cup 2026.

The two-legged play-off matches to determine the final group stage entrant will be held on June 2nd and 9th. The group stage with 10 teams will run from July 24th to August 8th, using a single round-robin format hosted across countries in the region. The knockout rounds (home and away legs) will take place from August 15th and conclude on August 26th.

This news is extremely positive for the Vietnam national team as it provides more quality competitions to test and affirm their status. Notably, under coach Kim Sang-sik, the team is the current champion and will have a golden opportunity to defend their Southeast Asian throne next year, shortly after the World Cup fever subsides.