U19 Vietnam drawn in the same group as hosts Indonesia at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship
According to the draw results recently announced by the ASEAN Football Federation, Vietnam national U19 football team have been placed in Group A alongside hosts Indonesia national U19 football team, Timor-Leste national U19 football team, and Myanmar national U19 football team at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. Meanwhile, Group B consists of Thailand national U19 football team, Malaysia national U19 football team, Singapore national U19 football team, and Brunei national U19 football team; while Group C features Australia national U19 football team, Cambodia national U19 football team, and Philippines national U19 football team.
The tournament will take place in Indonesia from June 1 to June 14, 2026, and is considered an important preparation step toward the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.
Despite facing a shortage of personnel, Vietnam national U19 football team continue to train actively at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center in preparation for the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship and with the aim of qualifying for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027.
To prepare for the tournament, Vietnam national U19 football team officially gathered and entered a training camp from April 29 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center under the guidance of head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi. The coaching staff named a total of 41 players for the squad in order to review, assess, and build the most optimal lineup for both immediate and long-term objectives.
However, the team’s preparations have faced considerable challenges in terms of personnel, as many players have not yet been able to fully join the squad due to commitments with their clubs in the national professional leagues and the National Second Division Championship. In addition, several players born in 2008 are also balancing competition schedules with preparations for the national high school graduation examination.
Furthermore, due to the domestic competition calendar, players who may be released by their clubs to join the national team are expected to report at different times. This situation requires the coaching staff to both maintain the training program and continuously review and evaluate the squad in order to gradually finalize the team’s core lineup.
During the recent training period, the coaching staff conducted fitness tests to assess the players’ physical foundation, thereby adjusting the training content and intensity accordingly in order to create overall balance within the squad before moving on to more in-depth tactical sessions.
According to the plan, Vietnam national U19 football team will travel to Japan for a training camp and friendly matches from May 18 to May 26 to further improve professional quality and refine their playing style before departing for Indonesia to compete in the tournament.
Being drawn into a group featuring hosts Indonesia national U19 football team is expected to present many challenges for Vietnam national U19 football team. However, with a long-term squad development strategy, the team is aiming for an effective campaign at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, thereby building a solid foundation for a highly competitive journey in the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers.
