Vietnam have arrived in Bangkok for the 2026 ASEAN Cup final against Thailand, carrying growing confidence from an impressive campaign, a rise in the FIFA rankings and memories of their dramatic triumph over the same rivals two years ago.

After a flight of nearly two hours, Vietnam landed in the Thai capital at 2:30pm on August 20. Coach Kim Sang Sik and his players then headed directly to their hotel to rest ahead of the first leg of the final at Rajamangala Stadium on August 22.

The Vietnamese squad are staying at a five-star hotel near Suvarnabhumi International Airport, more than 20km from Rajamangala Stadium. It is a familiar setting for Xuan Son and his teammates: the same hotel served as Vietnam’s base during the second leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final.

That campaign ended with one of Vietnam’s most memorable victories over Thailand.

After winning the first leg 2-1 at home, Vietnam defeated Thailand 3-2 at Rajamangala to seal a 5-3 aggregate victory and lift the ASEAN Cup. It was also the first time Vietnam had beaten Thailand in a final on their rival’s home ground.

Two years later, the regional heavyweights meet again with the trophy at stake.

For more than three decades, Vietnam-Thailand encounters have been among the most anticipated fixtures in Southeast Asian football. Thailand dominated much of the rivalry from the mid-1990s through the following decade, but Vietnam have gradually closed the gap, particularly under Park Hang Seo and now Kim Sang Sik.

Thailand defeated Vietnam in the 2022 ASEAN Cup final before Vietnam turned the tables in 2024. The latest final therefore represents another chapter in a rivalry shaped by trophies, regional status and national pride.

Vietnam enter the showdown in high spirits after beating Malaysia 4-0 on aggregate in the semifinals. The players, however, have had little time to recover. After playing the second leg against Malaysia at My Dinh Stadium on the evening of August 19, they travelled to Thailand the following day.

The coaching staff have therefore prioritized recovery, allowing the players to rest and recharge before their only training session at Rajamangala Stadium on the afternoon of August 21.

One player likely to be central to Kim Sang Sik’s plans is Dinh Bac.

The young forward has been among Vietnam’s most consistent performers at his first ASEAN Cup and leads the tournament’s scoring chart. Apart from below-par outings against Indonesia and Singapore, he has impressed throughout the competition.

Against Malaysia in the semifinal second leg, Dinh Bac recorded 53 touches and five attempts on goal while directly setting up Xuan Son to score. He also contested 18 duels, winning eight.

Yet his performance also highlighted an area where Vietnam will hope to see improvement against Thailand: composure in decisive moments.

Dinh Bac missed a major opportunity created by Hai Long in the 26th minute and lost possession 14 times. Of his five attempts, two were on target, two were stopped by Malaysia’s goalkeeper or defenders and one went wide.

His eagerness to score was understandable, particularly with the match taking place on his birthday. But against Thailand, where opportunities could be harder to come by, greater patience and sharper decision-making may be crucial.

Dinh Bac’s development reflects the growing confidence within the Vietnamese team. In the 2025-26 V-League season, the Cong An Ha Noi FC forward endured a scoring drought of around 500 days before finding the net in Round 17 and then exploding with 10 goals across six consecutive matches.

Vietnam have also received another boost ahead of the final from their improving position in the FIFA rankings.

Victories over Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Cambodia and Malaysia at the ASEAN Cup have earned Vietnam an additional 7.15 FIFA ranking points. Kim Sang Sik’s side now have 1,234.34 points, moving above Luxembourg into 98th place in the world.

The rise keeps Vietnam inside the global top 100 while further narrowing the gap with Thailand, underlining how the competitive balance between Southeast Asia’s two leading football powers has shifted.

The final itself could bring further changes to the rankings. More importantly, it will determine whether Vietnam can successfully defend the regional crown they won so dramatically against Thailand in 2024.

Vietnam will hold their final official training session at Rajamangala Stadium on August 21 before facing Thailand there at 8pm on August 22. The second leg will kick off at 8pm on August 26 at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi.

For Vietnam, the setting in Bangkok is familiar, the opponent even more so. Two years after leaving Rajamangala as Southeast Asian champions, Kim Sang Sik’s side return to the same stadium seeking to take the first step toward doing it all over again.

Dai Nam - Duy Nguyen - Thien Binh