Football 

Việt Nam are in Group B of the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup Division 1, vying for a prize US$1 million for the division champions. Photo courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will face arch-rivals Thailand for a US$1 million prize in the Division 1 group round of the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup, the first regional football tournament held under the global football governing body.

Matches will take place from September 24 to October 3 in Indonesia and will feature 14 teams: 11 from ASEAN member states and three guests.

According to the latest press release from the event organisers, teams are divided into two divisions, with the group stage held in a round-robin format.

Division 1, the Premier Division, is for teams with a higher world ranking. Việt Nam are in Group B with Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan, while Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and India will compete in Group A.

Known as the 'Challenge Division', Division 2 will be held in Hong Kong for lower-level teams who are trying to narrow the gap with other teams in the region. Group A includes Myanmar, Brunei and Hong Kong, while Group B features Cambodia, Laos and Timor-Leste.

As an official FIFA tournament held during the international window, every nation will be expected to call up its best players.

There will not be any semi-finals after the round-robin games. Instead, the group winners will play each other to determine each division’s champions, while the runners-up will face off for third and fourth spots, meaning each team will play two to four matches.

The Division 1 final champions will pocket $1 million, more than three times the $300,000 prize awarded by the AFF to Việt Nam for winning the 2024 ASEAN Championship. Meanwhile, the Division 2 winners will take home $300,000. 

Every team at the tournament can expect a guaranteed $125,000 participation fee and can also earn bonuses for each win or draw.

Including rewards for runners-up and third-place finishers, the prize purse is expected to exceed $4 million.

Việt Nam's rivals

Standing at 94th in the world, Thailand are the highest-ranking team in Group B and are considered Việt Nam's main rival on the way to the top spot.

Thai players possess excellent individual technique and consistently play to a high standard. As a team, they excel in both on- and off-the-ball movement. Many are also capable of making a difference in set pieces or scoring spectacular goals from a long range.

The Thai men's national football team continue their training to prepare for the 2026 ASEAN Championship Group B match against Malaysia. Photo courtesy of FA Thailand

They are also the most successful football team in Southeast Asia, with seven ASEAN Championship trophies and nine senior-level gold medals from the Southeast Games.

Along with Việt Nam, ranked 99th in the world, they are one of two powerhouses on the regional football scene. 

The Philippines are much lower in the global rankings at No. 135. They have not yet achieved remarkable results in ASEAN, and just lost 1-4 to Myanmar in the ongoing 2026 ASEAN Championship, officially known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup. However, the score doesn't reflect the team's full ability.

As the tournament falls within the FIFA international window, the Philippines will be able to field their strongest squad, including all of their Europe-based players and those competing in other developed football nations.

With a team full of quality players and a fast-paced attacking style, they can create a lot of pressure in aerial situations. 

Listed at 198th in the world, Pakistan are said to be the weakest team in Group B, but are also the most difficult to predict.

Pakistan have replaced China, who previously pulled out of the competition to play in a warm-up tournament against Uzbekistan, Palestine, Tajikistan and North Korea to prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup.

With no games yet played at the senior level between Pakistan and Việt Nam, they are an unknown, seen as the dark horse of the group. Their only prior encounter was between the Olympics U23 teams at the 2018 Asian Games, when Việt Nam won 3-0.

Việt Nam are currently competing to defend their ASEAN Hyundai Cup title. Under head coach Kim Sang-sik, the team have given a remarkable performance, remaining undefeated for a record 18 matches since October 2024.

The annual ASEAN Hyundai Cup will wrap up on August 26, and Kim will have nearly one month to prepare a strategy to take home the trophy at the new FIFA tournament. — VNS