AFF Cup is not abolished, the time for Vietnam team to defend the throne is set

(Dan Tri) - The Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) has officially set the date for the AFF Cup 2026. This is a special edition, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the tournament.

Last month, FIFA announced the establishment of the ASEAN Cup, an official tournament within the FIFA competition system. However, the Southeast Asian Football Federation still decided to organize the AFF Cup 2026, a tournament familiar to football players in the region.

Vietnam team won the AFF Cup 2024 championship (Photo: Huong Duong).

The 2026 AFF Cup will be the 16th edition of the tournament (every two years), since the first one took place in Singapore in 1996. Therefore, the Southeast Asian football governing body wants to make the 2026 AFF Cup a special edition, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the tournament.

According to the latest announcement, the AFF Cup 2026 will be held from July 24 to August 8 next year. This is a rare occasion that this tournament is held in the summer. Previously, the play-off match between Brunei and Timor Leste was held on June 2 and June 9.

In the first versions, the AFF Cup (formerly known as Tiger Cup) was held in August or September. However, since the 2000 AFF Cup, the tournament has been moved to winter.

The 10-team group stage will run from July 24 to August 8, with round-robin play across Southeast Asia. The home-and-away knockout stage will begin on August 15 and conclude on August 26.

Speaking at the announcement ceremony of the AFF Cup 2026, President of the ASEAN Football Federation, Khiev Sameth, said: “The AFF Cup 2026 is the premier football tournament in Southeast Asia. We are delighted to confirm the schedule for the next edition, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the tournament. This is an important milestone in the development journey of the tournament.

AFF Cup 2026 will be held in the summer (Photo: Tien Tuan).

We are extremely appreciative of the support of our fans across the region who have been passionate and committed to the tournament since 1996. We continue to work to develop the tournament into a major international event and further strengthen its strong legacy for decades to come.”

The Vietnamese team is the defending champion of the AFF Cup when it defeated Thailand with a total score of 5-3 after two matches to win the title in 2024.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/aff-cup-khong-bi-xoa-so-chot-thoi-diem-tuyen-viet-nam-bao-ve-ngoi-vuong-20251114184403582.htm