FIFA-ranked 200 team unexpectedly delivers sad news to Vietnam National Team

Should Timor-Leste qualify for the 2026 AFF Cup, the Vietnam National Team will encounter significant travel itinerary challenges.

Timor-Leste has almost certainly secured a place in the 2026 AFF Cup after defeating Brunei 3-0 in the first leg of the playoff. Notably, this match was played away from home for Timor-Leste. With such a commanding advantage, Timor-Leste will be even more confident in the return leg at home, scheduled for June 7th.

Although both Timor-Leste and Brunei are considered far weaker than Vietnam, facing Brunei clearly presents more advantages for Coach Kim Sang Sik's squad in the 2026 AFF Cup. The winner of this playoff will be placed in Group A alongside Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and Cambodia.

First, there is the travel factor. Departing from Hanoi, the direct flight distance to Brunei is only about 2,000 km, while the journey to Timor-Leste is nearly 4,000 km. This difference is significant given that teams must constantly move between countries in a short period.

The 2026 AFF Cup schedule is already quite tight, with Vietnam playing four matches in just about two weeks, alternating between home and away games. This means the team will endure multiple international flights in a row, so shorter travel distances would help players conserve energy and have more recovery time.

Beyond geography, the competitive factor also makes Timor-Leste a more challenging opponent. In recent years, the country's football has made notable progress. At the 2024 AFF Cup, Timor-Leste gave Malaysia a tough fight before narrowly losing 2-3. They also lost only 1-2 to Cambodia in a fairly balanced match.

These performances show that Timor-Leste is no longer an easy team to beat. Coupled with their convincing victory over Brunei in the recent match, the team is showing clear improvement and could become a surprise factor in the 2026 AFF Cup. Therefore, considering both travel and competitive aspects, Brunei is still seen as a more favorable opponent for Vietnam.