Vietnam team finalizes final opponent in second qualifying round of World Cup 2026

Indonesia qualified for the first round of the 2026 World Cup after defeating Brunei 12-0 on aggregate over two matches. The victory put the archipelago nation into Group F of the second round of the qualifiers, which is where Vietnam will play. The other two teams in the group are the Philippines and Iraq.

For the second consecutive time, the Vietnamese team was in the same group with Indonesia in the Asian World Cup qualifiers. Previously, in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Vietnamese team - led by coach Park Hang Seo - defeated Indonesia in both matches with scores of 4-0 and 3-1.

Indonesia team is in the same group with Vietnam in the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

The second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup will take place from November 2023 to June 2024, with 9 groups of 4 teams each. The teams will compete in a round-robin format, home and away.

The winners and runners-up of each group will advance to the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia, and will also participate in the 2027 Asian Cup finals. In the third qualifying round, 18 teams are divided into 3 groups of 6 teams each. The teams will play in a double round-robin format (home and away).

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will hold the draw for the third qualifying round after the second qualifying round ends in June 2024. After the third qualifying round, the top two teams in each group will qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals. The third and fourth-placed teams in each group will advance to the fourth qualifying round.

In the fourth qualifying round, the six teams were divided into two groups of three teams each. The organizers switched to a round-robin format at a centralized venue. The top team in each group will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The second-placed teams in each group will face each other in a two-legged knockout match (home and away). The winners will advance to an intercontinental play-off.

On November 16, the Vietnamese team began their journey in the second qualifying round against the Philippines on away ground. Five days later, coach Philippe Troussier and his team will host Iraq on home ground. The goal of the Vietnamese team is to qualify for the third qualifying round, and further aim for a place in the finals.

Van Hai

Source: https://vtc.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-chot-doi-thu-cuoi-cung-o-vong-loai-thu-hai-world-cup-2026-ar827872.html