Women’s football will be the first event of the Asian Games 2018 (ASIAD 18) to be held in Palembang of Indonesia, promising a treat for football fans there.

The first match of Group A will take place at 3pm on August 16, between the Republic of Korea and China’s Taiwan. It will be followed by matches between hosts Indonesia and the Maldives in the same group and between Thailand and Japan of Group C, also on the same day.

Eleven nations and territories registered to compete at this event, and are divided into three groups. Group A contains the Republic of Korea, China’s Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Maldives, while Group B gathers the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, China, and China’s Hong Kong. Vietnam is in Group C with Thailand and Japan.

Palembang is co-hosting the ASIAD 18, along with the capital Jakarta. Fourteen sports will be played there.

The ASIAD 2018, held from August 18 to September 2, is expected to draw 15,000 athletes and coaches from 45 sport delegations competing in 40 sports. 

The Games will feature 32 Olympic sports to help athletes prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Vietnamese delegation will consist of 523 people, including 352 athletes. They aim to snatch at least three gold medals. 

At the previous ASIAD in 2014, Vietnam won one gold, 10 silver and 25 bronze medals, ranking 21st in the overall medal tally.-VNA