In a recent post on its official fanpage, AFC shared a training video of the Vietnamese U23 squad, captioned in Vietnamese: “U23 Vietnam and the 2026 U23 Asian Cup: this is no joke!”

This recognition comes as no surprise given Vietnam’s strong track record in the tournament. In 2018, the team made history by finishing as runners-up in Changzhou, China. Most recently, they reached the quarterfinals in the last edition of the tournament.

In one of its articles, AFC went further, stating that U23 Vietnam “has the potential to win the tournament.” The team, under head coach Kim Sang Sik, was placed in the same group as Asia’s football giants, including Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

To reinforce its high regard for Vietnam, AFC reposted footage of the 2018 final between Vietnam and Uzbekistan and showered praise on the team’s inspiring run under coach Park Hang Seo during that historic campaign.

Midfielder Khuat Van Khang also expressed confidence in the team’s ambitions. “U23 Vietnam is aiming for the highest goal. We will strive to perform well and go as far as possible. Two years ago, we reached the quarterfinals. This time, we will work hard for an even better result,” he said.

Head coach Kim Sang Sik emphasized the need for further improvement as the competition intensifies. “U23 Vietnam must continue to perform well at top-tier tournaments. The upcoming U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia will be very challenging, so we must address our weaknesses,” he stated.

The team is currently undergoing a training camp in Qatar. Dinh Bac and his teammates are scheduled to play a friendly match against U23 Syria before traveling to Saudi Arabia on January 1, 2026, to officially kick off their 2026 U23 Asian Cup campaign.

In the group stage, U23 Vietnam will face U23 Jordan on January 6, U23 Kyrgyzstan on January 9, and hosts U23 Saudi Arabia on January 12.

Dai Nam