Football

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will be in Group E for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, alongside South Korea, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the winner of the playoff match between Lebanon and Yemen scheduled for June 4.

The result followed the draw for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Finals conducted by the Asian Football Confederation on Sunday morning (Hà Nội time), which determined the groups for the continent’s biggest football tournament.

This is widely seen as a tough group for Việt Nam’s head coach Kim Sang-sik. Both South Korea and the UAE are regarded as leading forces in Asian football.

Immediately after the draw, Kim made several notable comments regarding Việt Nam’s prospects in what is considered a very difficult group.

“The South Korean team, the UAE and Lebanon/Yemen are all quality opponents. However, if Việt Nam prepare well, we believe we can achieve a positive result,” the coach said.

Among Việt Nam’s opponents, South Korea are arguably the biggest challenge. South Korea are currently ranked 25th in the FIFA rankings and remain among the top teams in Asia. They also have a star-studded squad featuring players competing in Europe, such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae.

In their head-to-head record, Việt Nam have beaten South Korea only once: a 1–0 victory in the 2004 Asian Cup qualifying campaign at Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hà Nội.

The UAE are also a seasoned opponent with regular participation in major continental tournaments. Meanwhile, Lebanon and Yemen are both known for their physical and disciplined style of play, particularly in high-pressure matches.

Despite the tough draw, coach Kim said he remains confident Việt Nam can still advance if they prepare thoroughly — both professionally and mentally.

“It won’t be easy, especially against South Korea. But if we build a strong team, prepare mentally and maintain team spirit, Việt Nam can absolutely go far,” Kim said.

 

This will also be the first time Kim leads Việt Nam against South Korea at the senior level. He previously made his mark by guiding the Vietnamese U23 team to a win over South Korea's U23s in the third-place match of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia early next year. Under the tournament format, the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will progress to the round of 16.

Việt Nam have participated in the AFC Asian Cup five times. Their best achievements are reaching the quarter-finals twice, in 2007 (as hosts) and 2019. — VNS

Groups for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup

Group A

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Palestine

Group B

Uzbekistan, Bahrain, North Korea, Jordan

Group C

Iran, Syria, Kyrgyz Republic, China

Group D

Australia, Tajikistan, Iraq, Singapore

Group E

South Korea, UAE, Việt Nam, Lebanon/Yemen

Group F

Japan, Qatar, Thailand, Indonesia