The title might be out of reach, and that is fine. What really matters is whether the Việt Nam women's national team leave Australia with proof of progress. — VNA/VNS Photo

Anh Đức

Việt Nam’s women are heading to the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup this week with their eyes open and their heads up: with Japan on one side, India and Chinese Taipei on the other, it is a tough road for Mai Đức Chung's girls.

The tournament in Australia should be treated as more than just another continental outing. For a team that has outgrown the comfort of measuring itself only inside Southeast Asia, this is a proper benchmark. A chance to find out what still separates Việt Nam from the top end of the continent, and what can be bridged with discipline, belief, and smart planning.

Japan is the obvious headline. One of Asia’s elite, stocked with world-class experience, they come with a pedigree that makes topping the group feel like wishful thinking. Their regular presence in the latter stages of major tournaments underlines the reality: there is a gap here, and Việt Nam will have to respect it.

But this group will not be decided by the Japan match alone. The heart of Việt Nam’s campaign sits in the games against India and Chinese Taipei: both are competitive, capable, and awkward in their own ways. They bring tactical discipline, physicality and enough unpredictability to punish any team that turns up half-ready. For Việt Nam, these are not matches where you 'see what happens', these are matches where points are essential.

This edition of the Women’s Asian Cup is more forgiving than many fans remember: as the top two advance, and the best third-placed teams can go through as well, the format widens the doorway just enough to make the objective realistic, while still keeping the margin for error painfully small.

Reaching the quarter-finals could put World Cup qualification back on the table, either directly or through the play-off route. For a programme still pushing towards consistency, that is a huge prize.

If you are looking for Việt Nam’s edge, it has never been just one superstar or one clever tactical trick. It has been the collective - cohesion, defensive organisation, and the willingness to fight for every metre. Those qualities do not show up neatly on a tactics board, and they are never captured by the early chatter after a difficult draw. They show up in training habits, in body language, and in the moments when the game gets uncomfortable and belief starts to matter more than reputation.

Still, grit alone will not be enough. Finishing second, or even taking a third-place route out of Group C, will demand tactical flexibility. There is a balance to strike: be brave without being reckless, and be cautious without shrinking. Japan will test patience and structure. India and Chinese Taipei will demand initiative and control. Việt Nam cannot spend 90 minutes only reacting; they will need to impose themselves when the opportunity is there, and adapt intelligently when it is not.

Get through those early tests, and the knock-on effect is huge. A quarter-final would not only push Việt Nam closer to another World Cup run, it would also extend the journey into knockout football, where every decision carries extra weight. That kind of experience is priceless for a squad still building depth and maturity at the highest level in Asia.

So yes, this Asian Cup is a challenge – but it is also a canvas. The title might be out of reach, and that is fine – what matters is whether Việt Nam leaves Australia with proof of progress: sharper habits, clearer identity and the confidence that comes from competing properly in a demanding group. If the memories are of growth rather than regret, then the road to 2027 will feel a lot shorter. — VNS