Football 

Vietnamese players will hunt World Cup slot from the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 on April 1-18 in Thailand. — Photo courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — With goals in sight and final touches under way, Việt Nam’s U20 women’s team are fine-tuning preparations in Thailand ahead of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

Coach Okiyama Masahiko and 23 players will face China in the opening match of Group A on April 1 at Nonthaburi Stadium.

China are considered one of the strongest sides of the tournament, with six previous World Cup appearances including two runner-up finishes.

The team qualified as Group E winners and have featured in every Finals edition, with their best achievement being the 2006 title.

Meanwhile, Việt Nam takes part in their seventh Finals and fourth in a row, aiming to go beyond the quarter-finals for the first time following an impressive qualifying campaign. They easily topped Group B with three wins, netting 14 goals in the process and conceding none.

The other pair in the group go head-to-head at Thammasat Stadium, where the hosts eye a winning start at home to newcomers Bangladesh.

Thailand's eighth Finals appearance ends an absence since the 2019 edition and they will target a second top-four finish after 2004, which also qualified them for their sole World Cup.

Bangladesh will be the only team making its debut at this edition of the tournament, which features 12 teams, four more than the previous edition.

Group B will see reigning champions North Korea being challenged by two-time winners South Korea, Uzbekistan and Jordan.

Japan, who have won the competition a record six times, head Group C, with Australia, Chinese Taipei and India also hoping to advance to the next stage.

The top two teams from each group and two best second-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals.

The top four finishers at the Finals will qualify for the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup Poland 2026, with North Korea the defending champions.

Việt Nam's preparation

Prior to the Thailand competition, Việt Nam had intensive training in China, where they tested themselves against local clubs in early March.

They then returned home and played two friendly matches against Uzbekistan, winning one and drawing one in HCM City.

Defender Nguyễn Ngô Thảo Nguyên said the coaching staff made several tactical changes for the Finals and asked players to adapt quickly to new conditions.

Speaking about rivals, Nguyên said they were a good team with impressive form and physical strength compared to her teammates.

Việt Nam therefore prioritised a defensive approach, focusing on solutions to resist high balls, while all lines must maintain good contact and connection to ensure a clean sheet.

"At a continental level, we will suffer high pressure from powerful rivals. It requires us to be totally focused, especially in set-piece situations, which are decisive moments of the games," said Thảo.

Although it is her first time at the Asian championship, Nguyên said she was excited and proud, affirming Việt Nam's determination to achieve the best possible result and target a place at the World Cup. — VNS