The Vietnamese women's national football team is forced to 'brave the storm' at ASIAD 2026

Before the ASIAD 2026 draw, the Vietnamese women's team is in Pot 3, with the danger of meeting top Asian women's football names right from the group stage, but this also allows coach Hoang Van Phuc's squad to showcase their prowess in the continental arena.

The Vietnamese women's team is now facing a journey predicted to be highly challenging at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 ASIAD as they sit in Pot 3 prior to the women's football draw. With this seeding result , coach Hoang Van Phuc's team will almost certainly have to face at least one major powerhouse of Asian women's football from the group stage, forcing the team to prepare for a journey of braving the storm if they wish to advance deep into the tournament.

According to the seeding list, Pot 1 includes hosts Japan, China, and South Korea. These are all top continental teams with impressive track records and superior squads. This means the Vietnamese women's team will inevitably face one of these three opponents in the group stage.

The difficulties do not end there, as Pot 2 also features North Korea, the Philippines, and Chinese Taipei. If the draw places Vietnam in a group with Japan or South Korea along with North Korea, this would be considered a group of death, making the race for a spot in the knockout stage extremely tough.

However, being in Pot 3 also offers a certain advantage. The Vietnamese women's team will avoid two opponents from the same pot—Uzbekistan and Bangladesh—in the group stage. Meanwhile, Pot 4 includes Myanmar, Thailand, and Hong Kong (China), which are considered more evenly matched, raising hopes for a favorable group if the draw brings luck.

According to the schedule, the draw for the women's football event at ASIAD 2026 will take place on July 23, at the same time as the men's football draw. This will be a key milestone that largely determines the journey of each team before entering Asia's biggest sporting event.

Despite facing many challenges, Vietnamese women's football still has reason to hope. Over the years, the team has continuously asserted its position in Southeast Asia while accumulating significant experience from matches against strong continental teams. Appearances in the Asian Cup and World Cup have helped many players mature, laying a foundation for higher goals.

ASIAD 2026 is regarded as one of the key missions for Vietnamese women's football in the coming year, alongside AFC and FIFA tournaments. Therefore, no matter how difficult the draw result may be, coach Hoang Van Phuc and his players' goal will be to compete with the highest spirit, gain more experience and be ready to create surprises.

The road ahead will certainly not be easy, but those very challenges are also opportunities for the Vietnamese women's team to assert their mettle on the Asian stage. If they can overcome those great mountains , Vietnamese women's football can indeed write more memorable chapters at ASIAD 2026.