ASEAN Cup 2026 moved to summer, Vietnam faces challenges

The Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) has confirmed that the ASEAN Cup will be played in the summer from 2026, with the time frame from July 24 to August 26, 2026. This decision is to help the teams summon their strongest forces, while also posing a big challenge for the Vietnamese team and coach Kim Sang-sik on their journey to defend the title.

New schedule and AFF goals

The 16th edition, marking the 30th anniversary of the ASEAN Cup, will take place from the end of July to the end of August 2026. This is a strategic adjustment, aiming to improve the professional quality and increase the competitiveness of the tournament. The key is that the competition time falls during the period when most of the national championships have ended, creating the best conditions for the teams to summon their full personnel.

Why change can bring together the strongest lineup

For many years, the ASEAN Cup has not been part of the official FIFA competition system, allowing clubs – especially in Europe and the top Asian leagues – to refuse to release players. As a result, teams like Thailand or Indonesia often participate in the tournament with a patchwork squad, lacking key players like Chanathip Songkrasin, Theerathon Bunmathan or players playing in the Netherlands, Italy, and Japan. Moving the tournament to the summer is expected to be a direct solution to this problem.

Vietnam loses advantage in competition schedule

In the past, the Vietnamese team often had a strong force thanks to the V-League being ready to pause to serve the national team, while the main opponent was lacking in personnel. When the ASEAN Cup 2026 takes place in the summer, the balance of power becomes more balanced. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will have to face Thailand or Indonesia with almost full troops - a much bigger challenge for the journey to defend the throne.

Title race: from regional playground to test of mettle

The gathering of all the stars makes the ASEAN Cup a true competition of the brightest players in Southeast Asia, not just the story of the players playing in the country. For Vietnam, this is a necessary test to rub shoulders and mature, preparing for bigger playgrounds such as the Asian Cup or the World Cup qualifiers - which require more courage and a more stable competitive foundation.

System benefits: Clubs are not interrupted, players keep the pace

The ASEAN Cup, which takes place outside the V-League schedule, helps clubs avoid interruptions in their operations and saves on operating costs. On the other hand, the players maintain a stable pace and form throughout the season, thereby opening up a more abundant and quality source of personnel for coach Kim Sang-sik to choose from.

Key Points

• ASEAN Cup 2026 organization period: July 24–August 26, 2026.
• Objective: to enable teams to summon their strongest forces.
• Impact on Vietnam: loss of domestic calendar advantage, more balanced competition with Thailand and Indonesia.
• Opportunity: high quality competition, preparation for Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers.
• System benefits: V-League is not divided, clubs have less interruptions, players maintain their form.

Overall view

The decision to move the ASEAN Cup to the summer is a timely move after 30 years of development, reflecting the AFF’s ambition to raise the level of the tournament. For the Vietnamese team, the road ahead requires careful preparation and a more steadfast mindset, but it is also the inevitable path if they want to assert their position and conquer new heights.