Southeast Asian football stars ready for the 2026 ASEAN Cup

The Vietnamese team will start their title defense campaign in the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 with a formidable lineup, as head coach Kim Sang Sik, the South Korean tactician, once again relies on the core members who stood by him during their earlier triumph.

"The Golden Star Warriors" claimed the 2024 ASEAN Cup thanks to outstanding performances from Nguyen Xuan Son, Nguyen Quang Hai, and Nguyen Dinh Bac. This trio will continue to play a crucial role in Vietnam’s quest to retain their crown.

Vietnam has won the tournament three times—in 2008, 2018, and 2024—but has never successfully defended the title. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the competition. First held in 1996, the ASEAN Hyundai Cup is the most prestigious football event in Southeast Asia.

Coach Kim Sang Sik’s side will kick off their title defense on July 24 against Timor Leste in Chonburi, in Group A alongside Singapore, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

Singapore’s head coach Gavin Lee will rely on the experience of 35-year-old captain Hariss Harun and striker Ilhan Fandi in their bid to win a fifth Southeast Asian title—their first since 2012.

Indonesia targets its first-ever ASEAN Hyundai Cup championship after six runner-up finishes. Coach John Herdman has called up many players who were part of the squad that came close to securing the nation’s first FIFA World Cup berth.

Rizky Ridho, Yance Sayuri, Thom Haye, and Marc Klok all featured in Indonesia’s campaign that reached the fourth round of Asian World Cup qualifying for the 2026 tournament. The experience gained from facing Asia’s strongest teams is expected to boost the archipelago’s confidence.

Burinam United’s experienced trio—Chatchai Bootprom, Pansa Hemviboon, and Narubadin Weerawatnodom—are all included in coach Anthony Hudson’s squad as Thailand aims for an eighth title, extending their record as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

Young striker Yotsakorn Burapha, who impressed at last year’s ASEAN U23 Championship in Indonesia, will inject vitality into Thailand’s attack as they begin their Group B campaign against Laos in Vientiane on July 25.

Besides Laos, Thailand will also face the Philippines, who are targeting their first-ever final appearance, and Malaysia, who are eager to win their first Southeast Asian title since their sole triumph in 2010.

Laos and Myanmar are also in Group B. Myanmar enters the tournament under new head coach Jørn Andersen, who was recently appointed after previously managing Hong Kong (China) and North Korea.

The 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup will take place from July 24 to August 26.