Vietnam's team seizes a major opportunity as Indonesia unexpectedly 'drops' the AFF Cup

Vietnam U19 receives an additional significant opportunity at the 2026 ASEAN championship because the Indonesian hosts are not aiming for victory.

Vietnam U19 has just received what is considered quite favorable news ahead of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, after Indonesia U19 head coach Nova Arianto publicly stated that the host team does not aim for the title. This statement quickly attracted attention because Indonesia is in Group A with Vietnam U19, Timor Leste, and Myanmar.

According to the Indonesian tactician's remarks, this home tournament is only regarded as a preparation step for the qualifiers Asian U20 Championship 2027. Although they are the reigning Southeast Asian champions, Indonesia U19 does not prioritize results but instead focuses on evaluating strength and experimenting with the squad.

Coach Nova Arianto said: "I can assure you that at the AFF, I will use all the players we bring because, again, I want to see which players can represent Indonesia in the qualifiers (2027 Asian U20 Championship)." This means Indonesia U19 will likely rotate their squad frequently rather than using their strongest lineup throughout the tournament.

Furthermore, Coach Nova Arianto stressed: "Because once again, the AFF is part of our testing process towards the qualifiers." With this approach, the host team is expected to prioritize long-term development instead of going all out to defend the Southeast Asian title.

The Indonesian strategist also showed caution regarding fan pressure. He added: "If we win again, public expectations for the national team will certainly be very high. But I think I will focus on each match one at a time". This is seen as a sign that Indonesia intends to reduce performance pressure for the current young players.

Given that Indonesia is not overly focused on the trophy, Vietnam U19 will have more opportunities to compete for the top spot in Group A. If they make good use of the direct match against the host, Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's side can aim for a semi-final berth with a major advantage. The 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship will officially begin in Indonesia from June 1st.