Breaking News: Major changes to the 2026 AFF Cup, moved to the summer; will Vietnam struggle to defend their title?

According to the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), the ASEAN Cup (formerly known as the AFF Cup) will undergo major changes in 2026.

2026 will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Southeast Asia's premier national team tournament. After 15 editions, Thailand is the most successful team in the AFF Cup, boasting 7 titles (1996, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022). Following them are Singapore (4 times), Vietnam (3 times), and Malaysia (1 time). Currently, the Vietnamese national team is the reigning champion, having won the AFF Cup in 2024.

The Vietnamese national team is currently the champion of the AFF Cup.

PHOTO: NGOC LINH

The AFF Cup changes its name and schedule.

In 2026, the South Korean conglomerate Hyundai Motor will be the new sponsor. Therefore, the tournament will officially be called the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026. In addition to this change, it is expected that the matches will be moved entirely to the summer, instead of the end and beginning of the calendar year as in previous editions.

According to ESPN Asia, the group stage will be played in a round-robin format from July 24 to August 8, 2026. Meanwhile, the knockout round, including the semi-finals and the two-legged final, will be held from August 15 to 26, 2026.

AFF President Khiev Sameth shared: "The ASEAN Hyundai Cup is Southeast Asia's leading international football tournament, and confirming the schedule for the 2026 edition is of special significance. We are grateful for the unwavering support of our fans since 1996 and look forward to further elevating the tournament to an even larger international event."

The teams will field their strongest squads and compete during FIFA Days.

PHOTO: NGOC LINH

Football expert Gabriel Tan believes that the recent changes made by the AFF will significantly improve the quality of the tournament. He also suggests that the Vietnamese national team, along with other participating teams, will greatly benefit from having their strongest squad available.

Gabriel Tan stated: “Since 2000, the tournament has usually been held at the end or beginning of the calendar year to coincide with the domestic leagues of most countries. This is not a time within the FIFA Days period, so clubs are not willing to release players for the national team. However, the AFF has decided to change the schedule to 2026, to better align with the timing of the national leagues in the region. Moving ASEAN to the middle of the year will be an ideal time for all teams to field their strongest lineups, instead of missing many key players as in previous tournaments. The appeal will certainly be enhanced as the region's strongest stars will all be present.”

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/moi-aff-cup-2026-thay-doi-lon-chuyen-sang-mua-he-viet-nam-kho-bao-ve-ngoi-vuong-18525111419193709.htm