U23 Vietnam arrive in Qatar, kick off preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026
After a nearly eight-hour flight from Hanoi, at 13:00 local time (17:00 Vietnam time), the Vietnam U23 national team arrived in Doha (Qatar), officially entering a crucial training camp as part of their preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026.
29/12/2025 15:45:45
The training camp in Qatar marks the start of a new cycle for the Vietnam U23 team as they set their sights on competing on the continental stage. Notably, on this trip, head coach Kim Sang Sik is joined directly by assistant coach Dinh Hong Vinh, who previously took charge of Vietnam U22 while Coach Kim Sang Sik was leading the senior national team in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, playing an important role in the team’s success at the U23 ASEAN Championship and the gold medal triumph at the 33rd SEA Games.
However, just ahead of the team’s departure, Vietnam U23 suffered a setback as Dang Tuan Phong sustained a recurrence of injury during a training session and was forced to rest for treatment and recovery. The squad for the training camp in Qatar therefore consists of 24 players, before the coaching staff finalize the official list of 23 players in accordance with the regulations of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026.
After settling into their accommodation in Doha, the players quickly had a meal and took some rest before heading into a recovery gym session at 18:00 local time on the same day. Earlier, team manager Doan Anh Tuan had arrived in Qatar one day in advance to carry out preparatory work, coordinating and finalizing arrangements with the local Organizing Committee regarding the team’s schedule and training plans, thereby ensuring the most favorable conditions for the squad. During the initial days in Qatar, adjusting the players’ circadian rhythm has also been given special attention by the coaching staff, given the four-hour time difference between Qatar and Vietnam.
Sharing his thoughts on the training camp, forward Le Van Thuan said that returning to Qatar—where the team had previously trained in October—offers certain advantages. “Coming back here once again helps us be more proactive in our daily routines and training. Before the tournament, the team will have another friendly match to further fine-tune our preparations. Personally, I still have many shortcomings and will strive to improve myself, starting with my mentality, then my physique and physical fitness, together with the whole team toward our common goal,” Van Thuan shared.
Defender Pham Ly Duc emphasized the long-term preparation of the Vietnam U23 team for the continental stage. “Before entering the training process for the SEA Games, the coaching staff had already identified that the preparation was not only for the SEA Games but also with a longer-term objective of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals. The current preparations are very important because we will be facing top-level Asian opponents, including host Saudi Arabia. The whole team must stay focused and make even greater efforts, both defensively and offensively,” Ly Duc affirmed.
Meanwhile, midfielder Khuat Van Khang views the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games as a major source of motivation for the road ahead. “The achievement at the recent SEA Games has given us a great deal of motivation as we look toward upcoming tournaments. At the Asian level, every team is strong, so we will focus on each match one at a time and strive to achieve the best possible results,” Van Khang said.
Assessing the current preparation phase, head coach Kim Sang Sik believes that regional success is an important stepping stone, but not the final destination. “Winning the Southeast Asian title is a very positive achievement at this moment, but with continued effort and determination, the players will not stop there. Vietnam U23 cannot stand still; we must keep performing well at higher-level competitions. At the upcoming AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals in Saudi Arabia, the opponents will be much stronger, so we need to improve our remaining shortcomings through training sessions and review meetings,” Coach Kim Sang Sik said.
The Korean tactician also expressed confidence in his players’ abilities, based on their match experience and positive performances in previous international friendlies. “Before the SEA Games, the players played friendly matches against strong opponents such as Korea Republic, China, and Uzbekistan, and they all performed well. That gives us greater confidence that Vietnam U23 are capable of competing effectively at the AFC U23 Asian Cup. Of course, there are no easy opponents, especially hosts Saudi Arabia—the strongest team in our group. Nevertheless, my players are becoming more experienced and confident, and that will be the foundation for the entire team to work together and fight for good results,” Coach Kim Sang Sik emphasized.
According to the plan, during the training camp in Qatar, Vietnam U23 will play a friendly match against Syria U23 on December 30 to assess the squad and further refine their playing style, before traveling to Saudi Arabia on January 2, 2026 to officially begin their campaign at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Finals. In the group stage, Vietnam U23 will face Jordan U23 on January 6, Kyrgyzstan U23 on January 9, and conclude the group stage with a match against host Saudi Arabia U23 on January 12.
