Futsal 

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam have arrived in Thailand ready to defend their ASEAN Women's Futsal Championship crown when the tournament kicks off on February 24.

Coach Nguyễn Đình Hoàng selected 14 players for the regional campaign, many of whom were members of the 33rd SEA Games-winning squad.

World No. 11 Việt Nam will face Australia on February 24 in the Group B opener. The reigning champions then meet the Philippines a day later before taking on Myanmar on February 26.

In its second edition, world No. 66 Australia will make their debut as a guest team. It is considered an important step in strengthening Australia’s presence within the ASEAN futsal landscape as the women’s programme continues to expand its competitive footprint.

The Philippines, world No. 69, played at the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup last year. They did not reach the final as they were denied by eventual champions Việt Nam.

At the inaugural championship in 2024, hosted by the Philippines Football Federation, the team failed to make the medal playoffs.

World No. 38 Myanmar, under head coach War War Khaing, shortlisted 16 players for the tournament.

The Myanmar squad includes players who participated in the 2025 SEA Games as well as players from the 2025 AYA Women’s Football League.

Meanwhile, hosts Thailand, world No. 8, will welcome 18th seed Indonesia in the opening match of both the tournament and Group A on February 24. The remaining team, Malaysia, seeded 21, will begin their campaign on February 25 against Indonesia.

Teams will compete in a round-robin format during the group stage, with the two strongest sides advancing to the semi-finals. The gold medal match will be held on March 2.

All matches will take place at Terminal Hall 21 in Nakhon Ratchasima, a gateway to Thailand's northeastern Isaan region.

Coach Hoàng said: "With thorough preparation, especially the training and friendly matches in Japan, my team will continue to maintain stable form, demonstrate the prowess of the Southeast Asian and 33rd SEA Games champions."

He added that Việt Nam would first target a place in the knock-out stage before planning for the next phase and aiming for the highest possible achievement: defending the title at the tournament.

Hoàng referred to his team’s five-day training camp in Narita from February 16 to 20.

They played Bardral Urayasu, one of the local strong clubs, twice and recorded a 6-1 defeat and a 3-2 win respectively.

They were one of two Vietnamese teams unable to celebrate Tết (Lunar New Year) with their families.

The other was Hà Nội Police FC, who suffered defeat and were eliminated from the AFC Champions League 2. — VNS