Vietnam will face Malaysia five times across five different competitions in 2025.
In 2025, Vietnamese football will face Malaysia at five levels: from the 2026 U17 Asian Championship qualifiers to three matches at the 33rd SEA Games; the men's team is awaiting an AFC ruling that could overturn the result of the June 10th match.
Vietnamese football teams will face Malaysia five times in 2025, spanning from the national team to youth teams and futsal. Besides the packed schedule, the situation could also change significantly at the men's national team level if the AFC upholds the disciplinary action against seven naturalized Malaysian players, after FIFA rejected the appeal from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Men's team: June 10th match and the disciplinary dilemma could be reversed.
The Vietnamese national team lost 0-4 to Malaysia on June 10th in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. However, according to FIFA records, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players involved were found to have violated Article 22 of the Disciplinary Code. FIFA rejected FAM's appeal. If the AFC upholds the disciplinary action, Malaysia will likely be handed a 0-3 defeat, thus giving Vietnam a favorable result in the group.
Malaysia still has to complete their remaining matches, but the high risk of forfeiting means their hopes of advancing are affected. The rematch with Vietnam in March 2026 is therefore predicted to be of particular significance in terms of regional honor and standing.
SEA Games 33: Three encounters in just 12 days
In December 2025, Vietnam and Malaysia will meet three times at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, including men's football, women's football, and men's futsal.
U22 men: The decisive match for the top spot in Group B (December 11)
Vietnam U22 is in Group B along with Malaysia and Laos. The Vietnam U22 vs. Malaysia U22 match on December 11th is considered a decisive battle for first place, directly impacting their path in the knockout round.
Women's team: Starts in a tough group (December 5th)
The Vietnamese women's team will face Malaysia on December 5th, in a group that also includes Myanmar and the Philippines. The high level of competition right from the group stage means both teams must maximize their points early to gain an advantage.
Men's Futsal: The Key to the Gold Medal Race (December 16)
The men's futsal tournament at the 33rd SEA Games features only five teams and will be played in a round-robin format. The Vietnam-Malaysia match on December 16th is likely to be a crucial "turning point" for both sides' ambitions to win the gold medal.
AFC U17 Asian Championship 2026: Gateway to the Finals and a Test of Character (November 30)
The rivalry continues at the youth level as Vietnam U17 faces Malaysia U17 in the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers on November 30th at the PVF Youth Football Training Center. This match could decide who qualifies for the continental finals.
Coach Cristiano Roland and his team are currently training in Japan to finalize their squad before returning for a crucial match.
The numbers are noteworthy.
- Five Vietnam-Malaysia confrontations are planned for 2025, spanning various levels.
- November 30th: Vietnam U17 vs. Malaysia U17 at PVF (2026 AFC U17 Asian Championship Qualifiers).
- December 5th: Vietnam Women's Team vs. Malaysia Women's Team (SEA Games 33 Group Stage).
- December 11th: Vietnam U22 vs. Malaysia U22 (SEA Games 33 group stage).
- December 16th: Vietnam men's futsal vs. Malaysia men's futsal (SEA Games 33 round-robin).
- Match on June 10th, 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers: The 0-4 result could be reversed to 0-3 following Malaysia's forfeit if the AFC upholds the disciplinary action after FIFA rejects FAM's appeal.
Professional impact and regional position
The high frequency of confrontations reflects the direct competition between the two footballing nations. For the men's team, disciplinary decisions can change the dynamics of the group. At the SEA Games 33, having to face each other in men's, women's, and futsal football shows the intertwined goals between immediate achievements and establishing true regional capabilities. The U17 match at PVF, on the other hand, is a long-term test of the quality of youth training.
From the national team to the U17 team, each encounter carries a significance that goes beyond a single match: it's about testing progress, maintaining composure in crucial games, and affirming the position of Vietnamese football against a long-standing rival.
