Vietnam U17 won their opening match 6-0, temporarily placing them second in Group C.
Vietnam U17 defeated Singapore U17 6-0 at PVF in the opening match of the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, but are temporarily ranked second in Group C because Malaysia U17 beat Northern Mariana Islands 13-0.
Vietnam U17 started their 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifying campaign with a 6-0 victory over Singapore U17 at the PVF Stadium. Despite the emphatic win, coach Cristiano Roland's team temporarily sits second in Group C after the first round of matches because Malaysia U17 defeated Northern Mariana Islands 13-0 in the other match played at the same time.
Temporary results and rankings
A 6-0 victory against Singapore U17 gave Vietnam U17 a good start. However, with Malaysia U17 beating the Northern Mariana Islands 13-0, Malaysia temporarily holds the top spot thanks to a better goal difference after the first round of matches.
In short group stage matches, large scorelines in the opening round often shape the race early on. The goal difference between Malaysia (13-0) and Vietnam (6-0) is a noteworthy technical detail going into the subsequent rounds of Group C.
The situation in Group C
In Group C of the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Qualifiers, Vietnam U17 will compete against the following teams:
- U17 Malaysia
- Singapore U17
- U17 Hong Kong (China)
- U17 Northern Mariana Islands
- Macau U17 (China)
Vietnam U17's opening match took place on November 22nd at the PVF stadium. After the first round of matches, the temporary rankings in the leading group directly reflect the aforementioned scores: Malaysia is temporarily ranked above Vietnam.
Context and objectives of the competition
The 2026 AFC U17 Asian Championship qualifiers will take place from November 22nd to 30th, 2025. With thorough preparation over the past period, the Vietnam U17 team, under the guidance of coach Cristiano Roland, is expected to become the sixth Vietnamese team to participate in the continental finals next year, following the national women's team, the national U23 team, the men's futsal team, the women's U20 team, and the national U17 women's team.
Key highlights
- Vietnam U17 won 6-0 against Singapore U17 (PVF) in the opening match.
- Malaysia U17 won 13-0 against Northern Mariana Islands U17 in the other match played at the same time.
- Vietnam U17 is currently second in Group C due to an inferior goal difference.
- Group C consists of: Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong (China), Northern Mariana Islands, Macau (China), and Vietnam.
- The competition will take place from November 22nd to November 30th, 2025.
