VFF President encourages U17 Vietnam ahead of FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026

President Tran Quoc Tuan acknowledged the improvements in the physical condition of the Vietnam U17 players in recent months. The focus on nutrition, combined with physical conditioning and professional preparations, has helped head coach Cristiano Roland’s players improve their fitness as they aim to reach peak condition ahead of the tournament in Qatar this November.

The VFF President also recalled the achievements of the generation of players who competed at the FIFA U-20 World Cup nearly a decade ago, including Quang Hai, Hoang Duc and Van Hau. Their journey serves as an inspiration for the current generation of young players, including Nguyen Luc, Van Duong and Sy Bach, to nurture their ambitions and continue striving for progress.

According to President Tran Quoc Tuan, qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup is not only a great honour but also an opportunity for the players to gain valuable experience and lay the foundations for their future development, from club football to the national team level.

To provide the team with the best possible preparation, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has arranged two overseas training camps. From 19 to 29 October, Vietnam U17 will train in South Korea and are expected to play three friendly matches against South Korea’s U16 and U17 teams, as well as a K League U18 club. The team will then attend a training camp in the UAE from 6 to 9 November before competing in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026. During this camp, Vietnam U17 are expected to play a friendly against Fiji U17, whose playing style and characteristics are considered similar in some respects to those of New Zealand U17, one of Vietnam’s Group G opponents. In addition, the VFF is in discussions with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation regarding the possibility of arranging a friendly match between the two U17 teams ahead of the tournament.

With high-quality opponents such as Mali U17 and Belgium U17 awaiting them, President Tran Quoc Tuan encouraged the players to make the most of the opportunity to learn and gain experience, maintain their confidence and focus on each match in turn to achieve the best possible results. He also emphasised that every player must demonstrate a strong sense of discipline and responsibility in upholding the image of the national team, from daily activities and training to competition and their commitment when wearing the Vietnam jersey.

The VFF will continue to provide the team with the necessary support in technical preparation, physical conditioning and competitive exposure to ensure the players are fully prepared for the tournament. Participation in the FIFA U-17 World Cup is also expected to serve as an important stepping stone towards their long-term goals, helping them establish themselves at professional clubs and contribute to the Vietnam national team in the future.

On behalf of the coaching staff, head coach Cristiano Roland expressed his gratitude for the attention and encouragement from the VFF leadership, affirming that the team would make the most of the remaining preparation time.

“The players are always striving to overcome challenges. In the month leading up to the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the entire team will remain fully committed and work to the best of our ability, with the highest sense of responsibility, in pursuit of the best possible results at the tournament,” head coach Cristiano Roland said.

According to the draw, Vietnam U17 have been placed in Group G alongside Belgium U17, New Zealand U17 and Mali U17. Under the competition format, the top two teams in each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams across the 12 groups, will advance to the knockout stage.

Vietnam U17 will open their campaign against Belgium U17 at 20:00 on 20 November, before facing New Zealand U17 at 22:30 on 23 November. They will conclude their group-stage campaign against Mali U17 at 20:00 on 26 November.