AFC assesses that Vietnam U23 team could win the Asian Championship in 2026.

AFC places high expectations on the Vietnam U23 team.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website recently published an article praising the strength of the Vietnamese U23 team ahead of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, which will take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to 25, 2026. The AFC believes that coach Kim Sang Sik's team has the ability to compete for the top spot.

"Vietnam will strive to lift the AFC U23 Asian Cup trophy for the first time when they participate in the tournament in Saudi Arabia in 2026," the AFC stated in an article. The organization believes that the confidence of the Vietnam U23 team is built on a solid foundation.

The foundation from the qualifying round was perfect.

According to the AFC, the Vietnam U23 team entered the tournament with high confidence after an excellent qualifying campaign. The team topped their group without conceding a single goal, an impressive achievement. Their place in the finals was secured with convincing victories against Bangladesh (2-0), Singapore (1-0), and Yemen (10-0).

In the final round, Vietnam U23 is in Group A and will face Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, and host nation Saudi Arabia. The AFC believes that coach Kim Sang Sik's team has a great chance to secure one of the two spots in the quarter-finals.

The role of key factors

The AFC particularly highlighted the role of midfielder Khuất Văn Khang, considering him a crucial element in the team's journey. The 21-year-old has established himself as a key player at both the U23 and senior national team levels.

Khuat Van Khang's statistics are remarkable: 37 appearances and 4 goals for the U23 team, along with 22 appearances for the national team and 1 goal. His extensive international experience is expected to be a key asset for the entire team.

The goal is to surpass historical achievements.

Since their historic runner-up finish in 2018, the Vietnam U23 team has not been able to advance beyond the quarter-finals in subsequent tournaments. Therefore, the 2026 tournament is seen as an opportunity for the team to reaffirm its position on the continental stage.

The team's morale is very high after winning the Gold Medal at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand. This is a crucial psychological boost before entering the major tournament.

Detailed preparation schedule

According to the plan, after returning to Vietnam on December 19th, the team will reconvene in Hanoi on December 23rd. On December 26th, the entire team will travel to Qatar for training and a friendly match against the Syrian U23 team. The team will then move to Saudi Arabia on January 1st, 2026, to complete the final preparations.

Vietnam U23's achievements at the AFC U23 Asian Championships:

• Previous attendances: 5
• Best achievement:Runner-up (2018)
• Achievements in 2024:Qualified
• Additional information:The only time Vietnam failed to qualify for the finals was in the inaugural tournament in 2013.