The experienced coach initially announced his departure after the SEA Games campaign but reconsidered following strong persuasion from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), which expressed full confidence in his leadership.

“I feel deeply honored by the VFF’s trust,” said Chung. “Together with the coaching staff and the players, we will stay fully focused on preparation and aim to perform at our highest level at the 2026 Asian Cup finals.”

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Coach Mai Duc Chung has spent many years dedicated to Vietnam’s women’s football. Credit: S.N

According to Nguyen Sy Hien, chairman of the VFF’s National Coaches Council, maintaining Mai Duc Chung as head coach is “the most suitable decision” at this stage to ensure continuity in tactics, personnel, and development direction.

“Coach Mai Duc Chung has extensive experience and great credibility with the women’s team,” Hien said. “The players fully understand his training philosophy and methods, and he, in turn, knows each player’s abilities, mentality, and characteristics very well.”

Training plan and tournament roadmap

Under the current plan, the Vietnam women’s team will assemble in January 2026 for a training camp in China, which will include two friendly matches.

Afterward, the team will travel to Australia - the host nation of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup - for a second training phase that will feature one additional friendly before the tournament begins.

At the continental championship, Vietnam is placed in Group C, alongside Japan, India, and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).

The Women’s Asian Cup 2026 will take place from March 1 to March 21, 2026, across three Australian cities: Sydney, Perth, and Gold Coast.

Importantly, the tournament’s results will also serve as Asian qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Dai Nam