U23 Vietnam will face Qatar and China as they prepare for the 33rd SEA Games and the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals.

According to assessments, all three opponents have their own strengths. Saudi Arabia not only has the home advantage but also won the 2022 tournament, making them the top favorites to win the championship.

U23 Jordan achieved third place in 2013 and reached the quarterfinals twice (2016, 2020). Meanwhile, U23 Kyrgyzstan – although this is their first finals appearance – has shown strong progress with a technical style of play and qualified as group winners in the qualifiers. This means U23 Vietnam will face significant challenges.

However, with six consecutive appearances in the finals and being seeded in Pot 2 for the 2026 tournament, U23 Vietnam has grounds to believe in their competitive ability. Notably, the Vietnam Football Federation started preparations early.

Alongside adjusting the schedules of national professional leagues to suit the team’s plan, the core group of young U22 players has been given opportunities to gather, train, and compete internationally since late 2024. Thanks to this, the team has won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship three times consecutively and gained important experience for two major goals: the 33rd SEA Games (late 2025) and the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals.

Especially in the crucial upcoming preparation phase, the Vietnam Football Federation has collaborated with the Qatar Football Association under a Memorandum of Understanding for football development signed and implemented since 2023. Because of this, U23 Vietnam will have two quality friendly matches against U23 Qatar during their training camp in the UAE in October 2025.

Following that, in November 2025, the team will participate in an international tournament in China under the cooperation agreement signed by the presidents of both federations in August 2025. The tournament is expected to feature U23 China, U23 Vietnam, and two other strong U23 teams from the continent, promising an important chance for coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad to continue refining tactics, perfect the lineup, and gain experience ahead of major goals.