OFFICIAL: Vietnam National Team Receives the Best Possible News for the AFF Cup

Vietnam’s national team is set to retain its full-strength lineup for the AFF Cup, since their match dates do not conflict with the fixtures of CAHN.

The participation of Hanoi Police FC (CAHN) in the 2026/2027 AFC Champions League Elite play-offs once raised concerns about its potential impact on the Vietnam national team’s roster for the 2026 AFF Cup. However, a closer look at the specific schedule reveals that the two competitions run close together but do not actually overlap, thus allowing head coach Kim Sang-sik to still field his strongest squad.

As planned, CAHN will face Adelaide United (Australia) in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off on August 11 at Hindmarsh Stadium. This match is of great significance, as the winner earns a spot in the group stage of Asia’s most prestigious club competition, while the loser will be relegated to the AFC Champions League Two.

Meanwhile, the group stage of the 2026 AFF Cup will take place from July 24 to August 8. The Vietnam national team will conclude its group stage campaign with a home match against Cambodia on August 7. After that, the tournament will pause for a few days before the semifinals begin on August 15.

This means that players from CAHN can fully complete their duties with the Vietnam national team during the AFF Cup group stage before returning to their club to prepare for the clash with Adelaide United. More importantly, the AFC Champions League Elite play-off takes place before the AFF Cup semifinals start, so there is no direct scheduling conflict.

This is a positive sign for the Vietnam national team because CAHN currently boasts a host of national team players such as Filip Nguyễn, Đoàn Văn Hậu, Vũ Văn Thanh, Trần Đình Trọng, Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh, Nguyễn Quang Hải, Nguyễn Đình Bắc, Lê Phạm Thành Long, and Cao Pendant Quang Vinh. These players are all key elements in head coach Kim Sang-sik’s plan to defend the Southeast Asian title.

Nonetheless, the challenge remains in terms of physical fitness, as CAHN players will have to compete continuously at high intensity and travel between two major fronts. However, from a personnel perspective, the current schedule still allows the Vietnam national team to have nearly its strongest lineup for the decisive phase of the 2026 AFF Cup, while also enabling CAHN not to sacrifice its ambition of conquering the continental stage.