Vietnam U19 depart for 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship with determination to overcome challenges
**Vietnam U19 depart for 2026 AFF U19 Championship with determination to overcome challenges**
On the morning of May 28, the Vietnam U19 national team departed for Indonesia to compete in the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, scheduled to take place from June 1 to June 14 in Medan. The tournament plays an important role in the team’s preparations for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.
01/06/2026 11:03:37
According to the schedule, the Vietnam U19 team departed from Ho Chi Minh City at 09:50 on a flight to Jakarta, arriving at 13:00 local time. The team then continued with a domestic connecting flight from Jakarta to Medan – the tournament host city – departing at 16:35 and arriving at approximately 19:00. The total journey took nearly an entire day, including transit and waiting time between flights, posing considerable physical challenges for the young players.
Due to limited flight options to Medan, this was considered the most suitable travel arrangement for the Vietnam U19 team. Therefore, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) arranged for the squad to travel to Ho Chi Minh City a day before departure and scheduled an additional training session there to help the players maintain their physical condition and minimize the impact of the long journey.
Prior to departure, head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi also trimmed the squad to 25 players. According to the plan, the coaching staff will continue evaluating the team and finalize the official 23-player squad one day before the opening match of the tournament.
Speaking ahead of the team’s departure, head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi admitted that Vietnam U19’s preparation had not been easy due to the scheduling of domestic competitions as well as the national high school graduation examinations involving several players born in 2008. This was considered unfortunate, as the team could not assemble its strongest possible squad for the tournament as initially expected.
However, the Japanese coach highly appreciated the support from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), the clubs and the players’ determination throughout the preparation process. He also emphasized the team’s strong resolve ahead of the upcoming challenge:
“The coaching staff and I have prepared very carefully for Vietnam U19 to approach the Southeast Asian tournament with a spirit of determination and never giving up. No matter how difficult the challenges may be, the whole team will overcome them together.”
At the 2026 AFF U19 Championship, Vietnam U19 are placed in Group A alongside hosts Indonesia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste. According to the fixture schedule, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi’s side will face Timor-Leste on June 1, Myanmar on June 4 and Indonesia on June 7.
