OFFICIAL: Vietnam National Team to Face Japan and Thailand at ASIAD

The Vietnam women's national team has learned its group stage rivals for the women's football tournament at the 2026 ASIAD, with three formidable opponents.

The Vietnam women's team is placed in Group A of the women's football event at the 2026 ASIAD, alongside hosts Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand. The draw results placed coach Hoang Van Phuc's squad in a tough group, as all three opponents have experience in continental competitions. This is also a notable group featuring two Southeast Asian representatives.

In the other two groups, Group B consists of South Korea, North Korea, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. Group C includes China, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, and Hong Kong (China). Thus, Southeast Asia has four representatives: Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and the Philippines. The draw results have created many exciting matchups between teams from the same region.

The women's football event at the 2026 ASIAD features 12 teams, divided into three groups of four teams each. Teams play a single round-robin to determine points. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals. This format means the Vietnam women's team still has a chance to progress even if they cannot secure one of the top two spots.

Before the draw, the Vietnam women's team was placed in Pot 3 alongside Uzbekistan and Bangladesh, based on their performance at the 2026 Women's Asian Cup. Japan, China, and South Korea were in Pot 1. Being drawn into Group A means Vietnam will face Japan and Chinese Taipei again, two opponents they were grouped with at the Asian Cup in March.

Japan is considered a top contender after winning the 2026 Women's Asian Cup. Chinese Taipei is also a tough opponent, having beaten Vietnam 1-0 in the group stage of that tournament. Meanwhile, the match against Thailand is crucial, as they are a direct rival in Southeast Asia. Every point could therefore affect the race for a spot in the knockout stage.

The 2026 ASIAD will take place in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. This is one of the key tasks for the Vietnam women's team this year. Despite facing a challenging group, coach Hoang Van Phuc and his players can still aim for the quarterfinals if they make the most of their opportunities against Thailand and Chinese Taipei, while also striving for a positive result against hosts Japan.