Vietnam National Team receives great news ahead of the AFF Cup 2026 draw

Being the defending champions of the AFF Cup 2024, Vietnam’s team is highly likely to be included in the number one seed group for the forthcoming draw.

In the capacity of the current AFF Cup 2024 champions, the Vietnam national squad is expected to be placed in the first seed pot at the 2026 ASEAN Cup draw, the biggest football championship in Southeast Asia. Thailand’s national team, the runner-up of AFF Cup 2024, may also be in this top group.

Meanwhile, the second seed group is anticipated to include Malaysia and Singapore. The third group will consist of Indonesia and the Philippines, the fourth group Myanmar and Cambodia. The final group will likely feature Laos and the winner of the playoff between Brunei and East Timor.

Being placed in the first seed group is not only an honor but also helps Vietnam avoid facing their major rival Thailand in the group stage, providing a significant advantage in their title defense campaign.

According to official information from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), the draw for the 2026 ASEAN Cup (also known as AFF Cup) will take place at 11:00 AM local time on January 15, 2026, at the RCTI+ Studio in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The AFF Cup 2026 will be divided into two groups featuring 10 teams. Nine teams — Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — will directly enter the group stage. Brunei and East Timor will compete in a playoff round for the final spot in the tournament.

These two playoff matches will be held in a home-and-away format on June 2 and June 9. The group stage with 10 teams will run from July 24 to August 8, following a single round-robin format hosted by various countries in the region. The knockout rounds (home and away) will begin on August 15 and conclude on August 26.

With a squad expected to include many quality players and extensive international experience, the team led by Coach Kim Sang Sik is highly determined to defend the championship title they previously won.