2026 AFC Futsal Championship: Vietnam to face host Indonesia in the quarterfinals

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Indonesia, taking advantage of this valuable time, team members visited several sites in Jakarta to relieve psychological pressure after the intense group stage. Despite the day off, the players maintained a serious training mindset by voluntarily performing supplementary fitness exercises to keep their physical rhythm steady.

Regarding the upcoming quarterfinal match, Vietnam’s head coach Diego Giustozzi expressed caution about the opponent’s strength and home advantage. He stated, "Indonesia is currently a major team in Asia with a direct, physically demanding, and high-intensity playing style quite similar to Vietnam’s. They will be playing in front of 15,000 home fans."

Nevertheless, the Argentine strategist remains confident in his players. He emphasized, "Vietnam is a young team aiming for balance and the goal of qualifying for the World Cup. If we stay focused for the full 40 minutes, we can definitely defeat top Asian teams, and the whole squad will prove that."

On the other side, Indonesia’s head coach Hector Souto – who spent several years working in Vietnam – showed emotion upon reuniting with his former players. He praised the return of key players like Thai Huy and Chau Doan Phat, as well as the development of younger talents such as Anh Vu and Da Hai. Coach Hector Souto remarked, "I know the Vietnam team very well. About 50% of the current squad were once my students. Meeting them again in such an important match brings special feelings, reminding me of when we reached the semifinals together in 2016. Vietnam has executed a timely generational transition and is growing stronger every day."

However, the Indonesian team’s leader also affirmed his determination to make history for Indonesian Futsal: "I’m happy to see my former players succeed, but I hope that won’t happen in the upcoming match. I will do everything to lead Indonesia into the semifinals."

According to the schedule, the team will return to training on February 2nd to refine key tactical elements in preparation for the decisive match on the evening of February 3rd. The latest fixture from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) states that this highlight quarterfinal will take place at 7 PM on February 3rd (Vietnam time) at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta.