After leading Vietnam to two wins against Nepal in October (3-1 and 1-0), the national team has one final match against Laos on November 19 as part of the final round of qualifiers for the 2027 Asian Cup.

Immediately following the away match against Laos, Coach Kim Sang Sik will temporarily leave the national team setup for four months to take charge of U23 Vietnam during a crucial phase.

The South Korean tactician is set to directly lead U23 Vietnam in two major tournaments: the 33rd SEA Games and the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup.

At the 33rd SEA Games, U23 Vietnam has set its sights on winning the gold medal.

Meanwhile, the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 6 to January 24, 2026.

According to the group draw, U23 Vietnam is placed in Group A alongside host nation Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan.

To prepare for these two high-stakes tournaments, U23 Vietnam will participate in a four-nation invitational tournament in China featuring U23 South Korea, U23 Uzbekistan, and the host team.

The opportunity to compete against strong regional opponents is expected to provide valuable experience for U23 Vietnam.

Following the tournament in China, the team will return to Vietnam and continue training to gear up for the SEA Games and the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026.

In total, the preparation and competition period will last more than a month.

For the senior team, Vietnam is not expected to regroup until the end of March next year, in preparation for a pivotal match against Malaysia.

This will be the final group-stage game for Coach Kim Sang Sik and his team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Vietnam currently sits in second place in Group F. However, the standings could change as Malaysia, the group leader, may face sanctions and forfeit two victories (against Vietnam and Nepal) by a 0-3 scoreline due to a nationality scandal involving naturalized players with falsified documents.

Malaysia appeals to FIFA over player scandal

Datuk Yusoff Mahadi, Acting President of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), confirmed on October 15 that the FAM has submitted an official appeal to FIFA regarding the controversy involving ineligible naturalized players.

Per FIFA protocol, after receiving the appeal documents, the FIFA Appeals Committee will review their legitimacy and may request additional evidence if necessary.

The evaluation process is expected to take four to six weeks before a final ruling is announced.

Dai Nam