Vietnam’s women’s volleyball team have officially learned their opponents for the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian championship. Based on the group-stage results, coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet’s side will take on hosts China, one of the leading contenders for the title.

China finished top of their group with a perfect record, winning all three matches. Asia’s top-ranked team swept Iraq 3-0 (25-4, 25-6, 25-6), defeated Iran 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-14) and completed the group stage with another 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei (25-17, 25-16, 25-7).

Vietnam, meanwhile, finished third in Group C with one victory and two defeats. Thanh Thuy and her teammates opened their campaign with a convincing 3-0 win over Hong Kong (China), taking the sets 25-19, 25-12 and 25-11.

Vietnam then lost 1-3 to South Korea (20-25, 25-22, 21-25, 17-25) before going down 0-3 to Japan (23-25, 17-25, 21-25).

Despite facing a formidable opponent in the quarterfinals, Vietnam can still draw confidence from the fighting spirit they have shown against some of Asia’s strongest teams. Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet and his players will need to maintain their concentration, make the most of their defensive strengths and capitalize on every opportunity if they are to produce an upset.

The quarterfinal between Vietnam and China is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on August 28, 2026. It promises to be an intriguing contest as the Vietnamese women test themselves against the power of the tournament hosts.

Thien Binh