Malaysian expert: Vietnam will hardly dominate Southeast Asia anymore
Raja Isa Raja Akram Shah said the FIFA ASEAN Cup, sanctioned by FIFA and held during FIFA Days, will increase competition and challenge Vietnam and Thailand in the region.
According to Malaysian football expert Raja Isa Raja Akram Shah, the introduction of the FIFA ASEAN Cup – a tournament approved by FIFA President Gianni Infantino – could be a turning point for the region as it will be played during FIFA Days, allowing teams to field their strongest teams and earn points on the FIFA rankings. He believes that the competition will increase significantly, challenging the usual positions of Vietnam and Thailand.
FIFA Days and the push to summon the strongest force
Unlike the previous AFF Cup, the FIFA ASEAN Cup is expected to take place during the FIFA Days. According to Mr. Raja Isa Raja Akram Shah, this is an important variable: the teams can call up all their key players, including players playing abroad - a factor that the AFF Cup has not met. With 11 Southeast Asian national teams, the competition is expected to be improved when Indonesia or Malaysia can gather the best names.
Vietnam, Thailand and new competitive challenges
The Malaysian expert emphasized that the traditional advantage of strong teams can be narrowed when the force level is raised. He shared: “I think the FIFA ASEAN Cup will bring many positive impacts. When organized under the official framework of FIFA, the tournament will certainly be more competitive, no longer dominated by teams like Thailand or Vietnam.”
The focus here is on changing the tournament structure: when the best personnel are gathered, the gaps that have appeared in previous AFF Cups will be difficult to repeat. According to Mr. Raja Isa Raja Akram Shah, FIFA standards help increase fairness and commitment, thereby creating more real competition pressure for all teams.
From testing ground to serious racing
Another key point pointed out by Raja Isa Raja Akram Shah is the approach of the teams. He said: “Previously, in the AFF Cup, some teams only released young squads because they considered it an opportunity to test for bigger tournaments such as the SEA Games or the U23 Asia. But with the FIFA ASEAN Cup, that will change completely.”
When the results are calculated by FIFA points, each match becomes of immediate and long-term value. This not only shapes the mindset of selecting personnel towards real achievements, but also helps to raise the prestige of the tournament, thereby attracting more sponsors and investment resources for the overall development process.
Predicted impact on Southeast Asian football
- Raise the level of competition: The strongest force helps the matches to be more balanced, limiting the monopoly.
- FIFA Points Value: Each result directly impacts the ranking, forcing teams to optimize their match strategy.
- Attracting resources: Increased credibility supports calling for funding and long-term investment for federations.
- Message from FIFA: Demonstrating commitment to elevating developing football in the region.
From the overall points of Raja Isa Raja Akram Shah, the FIFA ASEAN Cup opens a new competitive axis, where every team must enter with higher standards under the FIFA calendar. For Vietnam and Thailand, that means maintaining stable performance against opponents with full squads; and for the rest, the opportunity to rise is clearer when the personnel barrier is no longer a bottleneck.
