Hot football news noon 1/6: Vietnam U19 debut at ASEAN U19 Championship 2026

CAHN sets a historic milestone with the V-League title and ambition to expand to the continental stage, Vietnam U19 makes its debut at the Southeast Asian tournament, the 2026 Golden Ball race heats up, FIFA introduces new rules for the 2026 World Cup, and Manchester United is ready to recruit Leao.

CAHN sets a historic milestone

CAHN concluded the 2025/26 V-League season in the most impressive way possible by defeating Becamex Ho Chi Minh City 2-1 to claim the championship. After just four seasons in the top tier of Vietnamese football, the "Public Security team" has won the title for the second time, while also equaling Hanoi's record of 64 points set in 2018.

At the celebration at Hang Day Stadium, Quang Hai lifted his fifth V-League trophy of his career, while coach Alexandre Polking fulfilled his dream of conquering Vietnamese football after many years of waiting. However, CAHN does not intend to stop there. With an ambitious squad featuring names like Quang Hai, Van Hau, and Dinh Bac, the V-League champions are now looking toward the continent, where the AFC Champions League Elite is considered the club's next target.

Vietnam U19 debuts at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship

Vietnam U19 will officially begin their journey at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship with a match against Timor Leste U19 at 4:00 PM on June 1. After thorough preparation and a high-quality training camp in Japan, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's squad is expected to have a smooth debut to build momentum for their goal of advancing deep in the tournament.

Despite missing some key players, Vietnam U19 is still considered superior due to squad quality and international experience. However, Timor Leste is no longer an easy opponent to overlook, as the country's youth football has made significant progress.

A victory would not only give Vietnam U19 a favorable start but also be the first step on the path toward their ambition of conquering the Southeast Asian crown.

The 2026 Golden Ball race "heats up" after the UEFA Champions League final

The 2026 Golden Ball race is becoming more exciting than ever following the Champions League final between PSG and Arsenal. According to the latest GOAL ranking, Harry Kane surprisingly surged to the top thanks to an explosive season with 61 goals, helping Bayern Munich secure a domestic treble. Right behind him are Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal, two stars who still have the chance to turn things around if they shine at the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Vitinha continues to assert his class as the orchestrator in PSG's journey to defend their Champions League title, while Michael Olise is the most impressive name with his rapid rise at Bayern.

With the World Cup only days away from kicking off, the race for the most prestigious individual award in world football remains wide open.

New rules for the 2026 World Cup could cost many teams dearly

The 2026 World Cup will not only draw attention for being the largest in history but also for unprecedented rule changes. Most notably is the "10-second substitution" regulation introduced by FIFA and IFAB aimed at eliminating time-wasting. Accordingly, the substituted player must leave the field within 10 seconds via the nearest sideline; otherwise, they will receive a yellow card, and the team will be forced to play with fewer players until the substitution is allowed to be completed.

The strictness of the new rule was immediately evident in the match where Japan beat Iceland 1-0. When Iceland had to play a man down due to a violation, Japan capitalized on the opportunity to score the only goal of the game. This is seen as a strong warning for all teams ahead of the biggest football festival on the planet.

Leao set to join Manchester United

Manchester United is on the verge of completing one of the most notable transfers of summer 2026 as Rafael Leao publicly declares his intention to leave AC Milan after seven years with the club. The Portuguese star admits he wants to seek a new challenge and does not hide his admiration for the "Red Devils" since childhood, inspired by his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.

With 80 goals and 65 assists in 291 appearances for Milan, Leao is regarded as the ideal addition to Manchester United's attack under Michael Carrick. Notably, "I Rossoneri" are willing to let him go for around €50 million. However, Manchester United will have to compete with Bayern Munich, PSG, and numerous Premier League giants if they want to secure one of the most dangerous attacking players in Europe today.

Domestic and international football was full of excitement over the past weekend

Xuan Son had a perfect warm-up before joining the Vietnam national team, scoring a hat-trick to help Nam Dinh defeat SLNA 3-0 in V-League round 25. The Brazilian-born striker ended a six-game goalless streak with a classy performance, including a stunning bicycle kick. In the relegation battle, SHB Da Nang put themselves in a tough spot after being held to a 0-0 draw by Ha Tinh, making the situation extremely tense. Going into the final round, SHB Da Nang, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, and PVF-CAND all have 21 points, promising a thrilling "life-or-death" struggle.

In Europe, Arsenal celebrated with 800,000 fans "painting London red," while the futures of Onana and Maguire at Manchester United remain hot topics on the transfer market. Ibrahim Maza emerges as a notable Vietnamese-origin star at the 2026 World Cup.