The Vietnamese national team. Two matches against Indonesia will determine Việt Nam's chances of progressing in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. — Photo baoquangninh.vn

HÀ NỘI   Vietnamese sports enthusiasts can look forward to thrilling events in the Year of the Dragon 2024, with several major tournaments taking place, with a particular focus on football.

2026 World Cup Qualifiers

The Vietnamese national football team, led by coach Philippe Troussier, will continue their journey in the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Asia. In March, they will face Indonesia on the 21st and 26th, followed by matches against the Philippines on March 6 and Iraq on June 11.

This is the most significant event for Vietnamese football this year, as coach Troussier aims to guide the team to the third qualifying round. To achieve this goal, the Vietnamese team must finish the group in either first or second place. Currently, they are in second place with three points after two matches.

2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup

The 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup finals will take place in Qatar from April 15 to May 3. This tournament will showcase the effectiveness of Vietnamese youth training and the potential of the national team in the future.

Việt Nam are placed in Group D alongside Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Malaysia.

The Vietnamese team secured their spot in the finals by finishing as the top team in Group C during the qualifiers. Under the guidance of French coach Troussier, they achieved a 6-0 victory over Guam, a 1-0 win against Yemen, and a 2-2 draw with Singapore in a match that held no significance as they had already secured the top spot.

Paris Olympics

The highly prestigious 2024 Summer Olympics will be held in Paris, France, from July 26 to August 11. Việt Nam has set a target of winning 12 to 15 places to participate in the event. Currently, four athletes have already secured their tickets: Nguyễn Huy Hoàng (swimming), Nguyễn Thị Thật (cycling), Trịnh Thu Vinh, and Lê Thị Mộng Tuyền (shooting).

Various teams, such as gymnastics, badminton, shooting, weightlifting, rowing, canoeing, judo and boxing, will strive to meet the target number of participants until the qualifying tournaments conclude.

The achievement of one gold and one silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics serves as a milestone, challenging Vietnamese athletes to excel in this year's Olympics and beyond.

ASEAN Cup

For Vietnamese football fans, the Southeast Asian football tournament, now renamed the ASEAN Cup, has always been a highly anticipated event. The tournament will be held from November 23 to December 11.

Given their recent loss to the Thai team in the final of the previous tournament, the Vietnamese team is eager to reclaim the championship trophy.

Additionally, fans are excited to witness Troussier's coaching strategies in this tournament, marking his first participation in coaching in a Southeast Asian tournament.

V.League 1

The 2024 season of the V.League 1 will be a pivotal one as it aligns its schedule with European tournaments, running from fall to the following summer. Moreover, the implementation of VAR technology will add to the excitement of the matches, initially applying to approximately four out of seven matches and gradually progressing to all seven matches in each round.

After eight rounds, the V.League 1 2023-24 championship race is already captivating, featuring strong contenders such as defending champions Hà Nội Police, Hà Nội FC, Nam Định, Thanh Hoá, Bình Dương, and Bình Định. VNS