Vietnam drawn with Thailand in Division 1 of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026

  04/08/2026 16:16:14

Men Men's National team News

The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is a newly established regional international football tournament organised and administered directly by FIFA, separate from the traditional ASEAN Championship. The competition will take place during the FIFA international match window from 24 September to 3 October 2026, enabling participating national teams to field their strongest squads, including overseas-based players. In addition, all matches will count towards the FIFA World Ranking with the weighting applied to official FIFA international window fixtures.

A notable innovation of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup is its expanded scope beyond the 11 Member Associations of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). In addition to the AFF teams, the tournament features two invited participants – Pakistan and Hong Kong, China – enhancing the level of competition and providing greater international exposure for teams across the region.

According to FIFA, the tournament will be contested across two divisions: Division 1 and Division 2. Division 1 matches will be hosted in Indonesia, while Hong Kong, China will stage the Division 2 competition.

Vietnam have been drawn into Group B of Division 1 alongside Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines. Group A features Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Singapore. In Division 2, Group A consists of Hong Kong, China, Myanmar and Brunei, while Group B comprises Cambodia, Laos and Timor-Leste.

The introduction of the two-division format is expected to enhance the tournament’s competitiveness by ensuring teams of similar standards face each other more regularly. This should improve the overall quality of matches while reducing the number of one-sided contests. The system also provides added motivation for teams to retain their place in Division 1 or earn promotion in future editions.

Furthermore, competing against opponents of comparable strength is expected to maximise teams’ opportunities to gain valuable FIFA Ranking points. For Division 2 participants, the tournament offers an important platform to gain international experience, gradually narrow the competitive gap and challenge for promotion. Meanwhile, high-profile encounters involving the region’s leading sides—such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia—are expected to further increase the tournament’s appeal among fans and the media.

According to FIFA, the official match schedule and the competition regulations will be released in the coming weeks. Member Associations are currently completing the registration process in accordance with FIFA’s guidelines as preparations continue ahead of the tournament’s inaugural edition.