Vietnam's futsal team faces major challenges at the Southeast Asian Championship

The Vietnam women's futsal squad confronts a tough challenge by having to play at unconventional hours in the 2026 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship.

Right after the Lunar New Year, the Vietnam women's futsal team will participate in the 2026 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship from February 24 to March 2, 2026, at Terminal Hall, Terminal 21 Shopping Center, Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Thailand).

Notably, according to the match schedule, the Vietnam women's futsal team will face a unique challenge: playing all three group stage matches at an unusual time—1:30 PM. This time slot is rarely chosen for top-level futsal games due to weather conditions and biological factors that can directly affect players' physical fitness. Playing continuously at the same time poses difficulties in maintaining physical condition as well as organizing daily routines and recovery.

Head coach Nguyen Dinh Hoang openly expressed concerns about this disadvantage: "Our match schedule offers no convenience as all three games are set at 1:30 PM. This is a real challenge because it disrupts players’ daily routines, training organization, and rest."

To adapt, the coaching staff proactively adjusted the entire preparation plan, shifting training times to exactly 1:30 PM throughout the training period. This is considered a necessary solution to help players acclimate their biological rhythms and ensure optimal physical condition for defending the championship.