Vietnam could be placed in the 'group of death' at the AFF Cup 2026 if matched with Malaysia and others.

The Vietnam national team could find itself in a challenging group at the AFF Cup 2026 if grouped with top contenders from the region.

The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has officially announced the timing of the AFF Cup 2026 draw ceremony. Specifically, the two groups for the tournament will be decided at 11:00 AM on January 15, 2026.

As with previous AFF Cups, the seeding of teams will be based on their performances in the last two tournaments. This means results from the AFF Cup 2022 and 2024 will serve as the basis for the group stage seedings in AFF Cup 2026.

Therefore, Vietnam and Thailand, champions in 2024 and 2022 respectively, will definitely be placed in the first seed group.

Meanwhile, the second seed group is expected to bring surprises. Malaysia is likely to be in this group due to reaching the semifinals of AFF Cup 2022 and their impressive performance throughout 2025. The remaining spot will be contested among Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore.

Although Indonesia reached the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers,their recent AFF Cup performance was less impressive, being eliminated in the group stage. Therefore, it would not be surprising if the Indonesian team is placed in the third seed group.

If the scenario where Malaysia is in the second seed and Indonesia in the third seed comes true, Vietnam could face a 'group of death' at AFF Cup 2026. Alongside Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are considered the toughest opponents for coach Kim Sang Sik’s squad, especially given their recent performances.

Despite issues related to the improper naturalization of seven players, Malaysia has shown their class in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. Evidence is their leading position in Group F, which includes Vietnam, and they hold the control to secure a spot in Asia’s most prestigious tournament.

Indonesia has become Southeast Asia’s pride as the first team from the region to reach the fourth round of World Cup qualifiers. Although they couldn't surprise the regional powerhouses, their naturalized players and European-style play promise to shine in major tournaments ahead, with AFF Cup 2026 being one of them.

According to the plan, nine teams will qualify directly for the group stage including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and reigning champions Vietnam. The last spot will be decided via a playoff between East Timor and Brunei.

The two-legged playoff matches are scheduled for June 2 and June 9 to determine the final team entering the group stage. The group stage, featuring 10 teams, will be held from July 24 to August 8 in a single round-robin format across host countries in the region. The knockout rounds, including semifinals and finals, will use a home-and-away format starting August 15 and concluding on August 26.