Vietnam national team finalizes training schedule in Incheon: Roadmap to defend ASEAN Cup title in 2026
Coach Kim Sang Sik and his team will spend two weeks training in South Korea with three important friendly matches, preparing for their goal of defending the Southeast Asian championship title in 2026.
The Vietnamese national team has officially launched its campaign to defend its regional title by scheduling a training camp in South Korea. The trip, lasting from July 2nd to July 14th, is seen as a crucial preparation for its ambition to maintain its number one position at the ASEAN Cup 2026.
Modern facilities at Incheon Munhak
The location chosen by the coaching staff is the Incheon Munhak Sports Complex, one of the leading training centers in South Korea. The Munhak Central Stadium, with a capacity of 50,000 seats, is located just 30km from Incheon International Airport, providing maximum convenience for the athletes' travel and recovery.
Coach Kim Sang Sik's team is expected to travel with around 40 members, including players, coaching staff, and team officials. The South Korean strategist has high expectations for this training camp in his homeland, where the climate and professional environment will help his players achieve the best mental and physical condition.
Personnel testing and tactical friendly matches.
During the training camp, the Vietnamese national team will play three friendly matches against local clubs. These matches are not only to test their form but also an opportunity for coach Kim Sang Sik to assess the squad and experiment with new tactical approaches. Notably, this training camp may see the emergence of promising naturalized players such as Patrick Le Giang or Nguyen Tai Loc.
This plan is reminiscent of the journey to conquer the ASEAN Cup 2024, when the Vietnamese national team also chose South Korea as their training base. Despite concerns about training in a cold climate, the convincing championship victory after the final series against Thailand proved the correctness of the coaching staff's preparation plan.
Coach Kim Sang Sik's mission to protect the throne.
For coach Kim Sang Sik, this trip holds more significance than just a simple physical training session. It's a crucial period for him to unite the team amidst significant personnel changes. The strategist's goal is to build a more combative, disciplined, and modern Vietnamese national team.
Defending the championship is always a tough challenge for any team. Therefore, thorough preparation from early on in Incheon is expected to create a solid psychological momentum, helping the players maintain their desire to win and once again stand at the pinnacle of regional football glory.
