FIFA is about to make a final ruling on Vietnam's national team's top tournament.

FIFA is preparing to finalize the organization plan, competition format, and schedule for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.

According to some credible sources, FIFA has reportedly invited the presidents of the 11 football associations from Southeast Asia to attend a major meeting in Canada to discuss the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, including the competition format, number of teams, group stage, and knockout system aligned with FIFA Days schedule.

Indonesian football expert Ronny Pangemanan, often known by his nickname Bung Ropan, recently revealed notable information about the plan for the entirely new tournament named FIFA ASEAN Cup. According to him, this will be the first competition initiated directly by FIFA specifically for the Southeast Asian region, expected to take place around September to October, coinciding with the FIFA international Matchday calendar.

Ronny Pangemanan stated that the tournament is expected to gather 11 to 12 national teams from the region. Besides Southeast Asian member countries, FIFA is also considering inviting Australia to participate to complete the number of teams and enhance competitiveness. If this happens, it will be the first time a FIFA-level tournament specifically for ASEAN includes a representative from Oceania.

According to Bung Ropan's sharing on his personal YouTube channel, the specific competition format has not yet been finalized and will be discussed at the important meeting in Vancouver, Canada soon. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that the official format of the tournament will be disclosed soon after relevant parties complete the exchange process.

President of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Erick Thohir also confirmed that he was invited by FIFA to attend the conference in Vancouver. This meeting will not only discuss the FIFA ASEAN Cup but also relate to many other major agendas, including preparations for the 2026 World Cup. This is considered a directional meeting for regional football in the upcoming period.

Regarding the organization plan, Bung Ropan believes the FIFA ASEAN Cup may operate similarly to the FIFA Arab Cup. If there are 12 teams, the tournament could be divided into 3 groups, each with 4 teams, selecting the top two teams from each group for the knockout stage. Another option is to divide into 2 groups, each with 6 teams, with the group winners advancing to the final, and the runners-up competing for third place. However, all scenarios are still preliminary, and the final decision will belong to FIFA after the upcoming meeting.

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