U16 Song Lam Nghe An is ready for the big challenge.

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The 2026 National U16 Championship brings a notable new feature to the Vietnamese youth football competition system. Instead of concentrating matches within a short period like many previous youth tournaments, the tournament is organized by the Vietnam Football Federation in a league model, with teams playing home and away matches and having a preparation period between rounds.

The qualifying round consists of 10 teams, divided into 2 groups. Group A has 6 teams: Hanoi Police, The Cong Viettel, Hanoi, PVF-CAND, Song Lam Nghe An, and Hai Phong. Group B includes Ninh Binh, LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Ho Chi Minh City Police, and Becamex Ho Chi Minh City. Teams play a round-robin format with home and away matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Final Round.

For U16 Song Lam Nghe An, this means the players will participate in 10 qualifying matches, including 5 home and 5 away games. The period from August to the end of November allows the players to maintain continuous training, competition, and skill adjustments.

This is the value that the League model can bring to youth development. Instead of entering a concentrated tournament with matches every two or three days, players have time to recover, train, and address weaknesses after each round.

U16 Song Lam Nghe An head coach Au Van Hoan commented: “This tournament is very important and has great significance for players at the U16 age. At this age, what they need most is regular playing time. After each match, the coaching staff has time to review what they did well and what they didn't do well to make adjustments in each training session. At the end of the week, the players have another match to showcase what they have improved.”

According to the head coach of the SLNA U16 team, this organizational method also allows coaches to use and evaluate more players. In tournaments with a high frequency of training camps, the requirement to maintain physical fitness often leaves the coaching staff with insufficient time to make technical adjustments. Meanwhile, one match per week helps to create a closer link between training and competition.

Furthermore, the tournament is also an important preparation for future competitions. Ten official matches against strong opponents will help the players from Nghe An accumulate experience, and at the same time help the coaching staff assess the capabilities of each position, thereby building a team for the 2027 U17 National Championship.

Furthermore, a good performance could open up opportunities for players from Nghe An to be included in the Vietnam U17 team participating in the 2027 AFC U17 Championship. Gaining experience on the continental stage will help the players mature faster, creating an important stepping stone on their journey towards professional football.

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Entering a new competition, U16 Song Lam Nghe An registered a squad of 30 players. The team is a mix of three age groups, with the majority born in 2010 and 2011, along with Cao Huy Hoang, born in 2012. Some players born in 2010 have just returned from their journey with U17 Song Lam Nghe An.

This brings both the advantage of competitive experience and the challenge of team cohesion. Coach Au Van Hoan said that after the group of players returned from the U17 team, the team only had about 22 days to prepare. The coaching staff dedicated the initial period to strengthening the physical foundation, and then gradually improved their technical skills and tactics.

“The most important thing right now is to create cohesion within the team. The coaching staff is evaluating each area and position to find the most suitable options. I don't want to finalize a lineup yet. This is the U16 team, but that doesn't mean only 16-year-old players can play. Any player with good skills and who meets the tactical requirements will have a chance,” shared Coach Au Van Hoan.

Looking at the current squad, U16 Song Lam Nghe An possesses fairly balanced competition across many positions. The midfield has technically gifted players, while the defense boasts several players with physical advantages. However, the ability to anticipate, choose positions, and build play from the back remains areas the coaching staff needs to further improve.

In the attacking line, Truong Van Tai is one of the promising talents. Despite being born in 2011, this striker has experience playing in youth tournaments, possesses a good physique, and has good ball control and finishing ability. Furthermore, the fact that coach Au Van Hoan doesn't restrict the squad by age also opens up competition for younger players.

The biggest challenge for U16 Song Lam Nghe An lies in their group. Hanoi, PVF-CAND, and The Cong Viettel are all top youth training centers. Hanoi Police is also considered capable of causing an upset, while a tournament spanning 10 rounds makes consistency especially important.

Indeed, the chances are evenly distributed among all six teams. Teams like Hanoi, The Cong Viettel, PVF-CAND, and Song Lam Nghe An all have fairly similar quality and skill levels. The gap between the teams is no longer too large. Therefore, choosing the two teams that will qualify for the final round will certainly not be easy.

Unlike a concentrated tournament where a good run of form can propel a team forward quickly, a journey spanning over three months requires U16 Song Lam Nghe An to maintain consistency throughout each round. A single misstep could make the competition for the top two positions much more difficult.

Nevertheless, the goal of the Nghe An team remains very clear. “In coaching, we always aim for the highest goal. First and foremost, the team will try to qualify for the finals. We don't participate in the tournament just to complete the qualifying rounds; we always want our players to go as far as possible,” affirmed coach Au Van Hoan.

If they can maintain stability and maximize the quality of their current squad, securing a spot in the Finals is a difficult goal, but one that is entirely achievable for Coach Au Van Hoan and his team.

Duc Anh