In early March, the Vietnamese women's national team will compete in the 2026 Asian Cup in Australia. This is also the final qualifying round for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. The team's goal has been set: to qualify for the World Cup for the second consecutive time, further solidifying their position as a leading women's football team in the region and continent.
Vietnamese women's football was once honored by FIFA as "one of the most impressively developed women's football nations in history." We only established our first women's club in 1995, but by 1999 we had already participated in the Asian Cup, and this year marks Vietnam's 10th consecutive appearance in the tournament, a record for Southeast Asian football.
Thailand participated in the Asian Cup from its very first edition in 1975, but only qualified for the World Cup in 2014. However, in 2022, just over two decades after their first Asian Cup appearance, the Vietnamese women's team made history. Their World Cup qualification in India four years ago, during a time of severe COVID-19 outbreaks, was hailed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as "The greatest moment in the history of the Women's Asian Cup."
The journey of women's football in seeking its place over the past three decades is seen as an example for the entire football community to learn from, not only in its efforts to improve but also in maintaining its passion. Therefore, the youthful appearance and aspirations of the new generation of the Vietnamese women's national team at the 2026 Asian Cup give fans the belief that, once again, Vietnamese football will appear on the prestigious World Cup stage.
More importantly, the 2026 Asian Cup is not just a stage to qualify for the World Cup, but also a measure of the capabilities of an entire football nation. While Japan and South Korea have professional women's football leagues, creating a stable source of players for their national teams, Vietnam still relies on a small group of familiar clubs. Investment in youth development is insufficient, the domestic league is short and lacks sponsorship, limiting players' opportunities for competition. Although fighting spirit and discipline remain strengths, without proper preparation, the professional gap with stronger teams will widen.
Vietnamese women's football has no shortage of potential, as clearly demonstrated in women's futsal. Currently, the Vietnamese women's futsal team is ranked 11th in the world and maintains a top 4 position in Asia. With strong technical skills and a tenacious fighting spirit, Vietnamese women's football has repeatedly surprised at continental tournaments, the SEA Games, and the Asian Cup, proving that with the right environment, they can absolutely rise to the level of developed football nations.
However, maintaining the top position in the continent is very difficult, especially in the context of the strong transformation of women's football worldwide, with increased professionalism and a widespread transfer system. In Southeast Asia, the rise of Philippine women's football with its naturalization policy poses a major challenge to Vietnam's number one ranking.
The 2026 Asian Cup can be seen as a major test, but also an opportunity to affirm that the success in India in 2022 was not the peak, but the starting point for a new cycle. From futsal to the grass pitch, from the national team to the clubs, Vietnamese women's football has the chance to redefine its direction. The important thing is that Vietnamese women's football needs to receive increased investment from managers, especially by leveraging resources from society, to affirm that "belief in women's football" is no longer just a slogan, but a credible commitment.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dat-niem-tin-vao-bong-da-nu-post840315.html
Comment (0)