Vietnam Women's National Team Officially Departs for Australia to Compete in the 2026 Asian Finals

The Vietnam Women's National Team has embarked on their trip to Australia, formally starting their campaign to win the 2026 Asian Finals.

On the evening of February 27, the Vietnam Women's National Team officially departed from Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi), heading to Australia to participate in the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup. This marks the first major tournament for Vietnamese women's football in 2026 and initiates their quest for a World Cup qualification ticket.

According to the travel itinerary, the squad under Coach Mai Duc Chung took their first flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City at 7:05 PM. After a transit wait of approximately three hours, the entire team continued their journey at 00:55 AM (early morning of February 28) on a flight lasting about seven hours to Perth. The team is scheduled to land at 8:50 AM local time.

This departure includes 26 players along with the coaching staff. Previously, the team had gathered since January 15, undergoing over a month of intensive training with a dense schedule of technical, physical, and tactical drills. Notably, from February 7 to 14, the team had a training camp in China and played two high-quality friendly matches against the Chinese women's national team to assess their squad and refine their playing style.

Arriving in Australia early provides the Vietnam women's team with additional time to adapt to the time zone, climate conditions, and pitch facilities in Perth – the host city for all Group C matches. This is considered a crucial preparatory step before officially entering the intense competition of the continental tournament.

In the group stage, the Vietnam women's team is placed in Group C and will face India (March 4), Chinese Taipei (March 7), and Japan (March 10). According to the format, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals. Japan is rated as the strongest opponent, while the matches against India and Chinese Taipei are pivotal in the race for a knockout stage spot.

The 2026 Women's Asian Cup also serves as the tournament allocating World Cup slots. Asia has 6.5 berths, with the four semi-finalists and two playoff winners securing direct qualification; the final spot is determined through an intercontinental playoff. With thorough preparation and high determination, the Vietnam Women's National Team is ready for the challenging journey ahead.