HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam national football team left for Indonesia on September 23 to begin their campaign at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.

The team will spend 12 days in Indonesia, with their opening against the Philippines taking place on September 26.

Việt Nam have had limited time to prepare for the tournament, in contrast to their preparations for the ASEAN Cup 2026, when Kim Sang-sik's side had a month-long training programme, including a training camp and friendly matches in South Korea.

The team gathered on Tuesday and held their only training session, lasting nearly two hours, at the Việt Nam Youth Football Training Centre before travelling to Indonesia.

The players are expected to rest and recover after arriving and will have a light training session to maintain their fitness.

With little time to prepare, Kim has retained most of the squad that won the ASEAN Cup 2026 last month. The coach has added two newcomers, Williams Minh Hoàng and Nguyễn Adou Leygley Minh.

Việt Nam will also be without Nguyễn Quang Hải and Nguyễn Thành Chung, who withdrew due to injuries. Võ Hoàng Minh Khoa and Ngô Đăng Khoa. have been called up as replacements.

Final place the target

Việt Nam are drawn in Group B with Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan.

They will face the Philippines on September 26 at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, followed by matches against Thailand on September 29 and Pakistan on October 2.

Only the group winners will qualify for the final. Reaching the final is also the target set by the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF).

"All the matches in this tournament are very important, not just the game against Thailand," said defender Adou Minh.

"It will be a difficult match, but we are aiming to take all three points from every game. Therefore, it is very important to stay focused on each match."

The 1997-born defender received his first call-up to the national team for the tournament.

Adou Minh said he had followed Việt Nam's campaign at the ASEAN Cup 2026 and attended the final in person.

He added: "I watched all of the team's matches in the previous tournament. I was at the stadium for the final, and the fans and atmosphere were incredible.

"It brought joy to the whole country. At that time, I was just a fan, and now I am part of the national team, so it is a big step forward for me."

Việt Nam have remained unbeaten in 26 consecutive matches since Kim took charge two years ago.

Kim became the first coach to lead Việt Nam to two Southeast Asian titles and the only coach to have won four titles in Vietnamese football.

The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 will be a new challenge for Kim and his players, who face a demanding schedule with little preparation time. — VNS