Vietnam U23: Coach Kim Sang Sik has to drop 2 players.
Coach Kim Sang Sik has called up 25 players for the Vietnam U23 team in preparation for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship, but will have to make a decision to drop two players to finalize the official list.
The competition for a place in the Vietnam U23 team.
Coach Kim Sang Sik has announced a preliminary list of 25 players for the Vietnam U23 team in preparation for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. However, according to the tournament regulations, two players will have to leave the team before the tournament officially begins in Saudi Arabia.
The core of this squad consists of 23 players who just won the SEA Games 33 championship, demonstrating coach Kim Sang Sik's confidence in the successful lineup. In addition, the list has been supplemented with two notable additions: defender Le Van Ha from Hanoi FC and striker Bui Vi Hao from Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, bringing the total number of players to 25.
The decision is based on AFC regulations.
The 2026 AFC U23 Championship will take place in Saudi Arabia from January 6 to 27, 2026. According to the regulations of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), each participating team is allowed to register a maximum of 23 players, including at least 3 goalkeepers. Therefore, it is mandatory for coach Kim Sang Sik to remove two players from the current squad.
Eligible players for the tournament must have been born on or after January 1, 2003. The registration process is also strictly regulated: teams must submit a preliminary list of 18 to 50 players no later than 30 days before the opening match. The final official list of 23 players must be submitted to the AFC at least 10 days before the team's first match.
The addition of two new players to the SEA Games 33 winning squad promises to create fierce competition for positions in the Vietnam U23 team. Coach Kim Sang Sik's final decision will be highly anticipated as he must select the most suitable players for the upcoming crucial campaign.
