Malaysian coach confident of creating an earthquake at the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship
Rakphol Sainetngam is optimistic after the draw: Malaysia is in Group D with Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, aiming to advance to the group stage in Jakarta from January 27 to February 7, 2026.
Malaysia are in Group D with Iran, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia at the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship, but coach Rakphol Sainetngam does not shy away from the challenge. The 52-year-old coach affirmed that this is an opportunity for his team to mature and aim to pass the group stage, despite facing a formidable opponent like Iran (ranked 5th in the world).
Group D and the problem of facing strong Asian teams
According to the draw results, Malaysia is in Group D with Iran, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. This is a very difficult group as Iran is a powerhouse of continental futsal, while the two Middle Eastern representatives are both physically strong and well-organized. Rakphol acknowledges the current gap but sees it as motivation to improve.
“Malaysia are in a group with all the top teams in Asia. Iran, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia are all strong teams and they are still at a higher level than us.”
Rakphol Sainetngam: Turning challenges into opportunities
The Thai coach emphasized the value of playing against the top teams in the continent. For him, the most intense matches are the exact test for the team's experience accumulation process.
“Actually, this is a good thing because we will be able to compete and learn directly from the strongest teams in the continent. This is a valuable opportunity for the growth of Malaysian futsal.”
The goal of passing the group stage and the confidence from the qualifying round
Malaysia had surpassed all expectations to reach the finals. From that foundation, Rakphol set his sights higher and expected another shock in Jakarta.
“This time, we want to get even better results. I believe the whole team can create another surprise, just like what we did in the qualifying round.”
He affirmed that the team will fight to the maximum in every 40 minutes of play to find the decisive point in the harsh Group D.
“I know how difficult the challenge is, but in my coaching career I have created unexpected moments many times. We will compete with the highest spirit in every match.”
Time, place and overall situation
The 2026 AFC Futsal Championship will take place in Jakarta (Indonesia) from January 27 to February 7, 2026. Besides Group D of Malaysia, the tournament will feature many evenly matched matches, promising a fierce race for tickets to the knockout round.
Vietnam futsal team in group B
In this tournament, the Vietnam futsal team is in group B with Thailand, Kuwait and Lebanon.
From the perspective of Coach Rakphol himself, facing the strongest opponents is the shortest way to shorten the gap. Malaysia entered the finals with the underdog mentality but full of ambition, ready to turn pressure into a competitive advantage for the goal of advancing to the group stage.
