The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on November 3 that the 2027 AFC Asian Cup would be postponed until the end of 2027, with the tournament now scheduled to run from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028.

The revised schedule means Vietnam's national football team will have to adjust its preparations for the continental tournament.

However, the question attracting the most attention is the future of head coach Kim Sang Sik.

The South Korean coach's current contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) expires in February 2027. Unless the two sides reach a new agreement, Kim could leave his position before Vietnam competes in the rescheduled Asian Cup.

Kim was appointed by the VFF in May 2024, succeeding Philippe Troussier as head coach of both the senior national team and Vietnam's U23 side.

His contract was initially signed for two years, with an automatic extension clause tied to the achievement of agreed sporting objectives.

The 1976-born coach has enjoyed considerable success with Vietnamese football, guiding both the senior and U23 national teams to a series of impressive results over more than two years.

Under his leadership, Vietnam also established a record 27-match unbeaten run.

Given those achievements, a decision by the VFF not to extend Kim's contract beyond February 2027 would appear unlikely.

Kim and his coaching staff have also invested considerable effort in preparing the national team for the 2027 Asian Cup. The tournament's postponement was beyond the control of both the federation and the coach.

Nevertheless, the timing of any contract extension discussions could prove complicated.

The VFF is scheduled to hold its 10th Congress for the 2026-2030 term in January 2027, when a new leadership structure will be established.

Decisions made by the incoming federation leadership could influence the direction of the national team's coaching arrangements.

As a result, Kim's future may not be settled until after the congress concludes.

Although his record provides a strong case for continuity, a change in the VFF's leadership priorities could still result in a new direction for the national team.

For now, Kim's position remains unresolved, even if a departure appears to be a relatively remote possibility.

Dai Nam