The 2026 Asian Futsal Championship qualifiers feature 31 teams, divided into 8 groups (7 groups of 4 teams and 1 group of 3 teams). The teams compete in a round robin format to determine rankings in the host countries.
The eight group winners and seven best runners-up will advance to the finals to be held in Indonesia in January 2026. Indonesia, as hosts, will be given a direct entry to the finals without having to play in the qualifying round.
For the first time, the seeding grouping for the Asian futsal qualifiers has been applied by the AFC based on the latest FIFA futsal rankings. Ranked 5th in Asia and 31st in the world , the Vietnamese futsal team is placed in the number 1 seeding group, along with strong teams such as Iran, Japan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Iraq.
Being placed in the highest seed group is not only a professional advantage but also a recognition of the efforts and stable achievements of Vietnamese futsal over the past decade.
From 2014 to now, the team has passed the group stage 5 times in a row at Asian futsal tournaments, especially reaching the semi-finals in 2016, the best achievement in the history of Vietnamese futsal.
Returning to the group of the Vietnamese team in the 2026 Asian Futsal Qualifiers, Lebanon and China are considered two direct competitors for coach Diago Giustozzi and his team. In the most recent confrontation history, the Vietnamese futsal team faced Lebanon in the play-off round for a ticket to the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup. After two draws of 0-0 and 1-1, the Vietnamese team then won the right to continue thanks to the away goal rule. Meanwhile, at the 2024 Asian Futsal Finals, the Vietnamese team defeated China with a score of 1-0 in the group stage.
The 2026 Asian Futsal Qualifiers will take place from September 20 to September 24. This is a key tournament for the Vietnamese futsal team in 2025, alongside the SEA Games which will take place in December in Thailand.
According to plan, to prepare for the continental futsal qualifying round, the Vietnamese team will gather after the 2025 National Futsal Cup ends next August.
With this draw result, the Vietnamese futsal team is facing a great opportunity to continue to affirm its position in the continental playground when it only has to face lower-ranked opponents such as Lebanon, China and Hong Kong (China).
Being in the top seed group not only helps avoid the top strong teams in Asia but also proves the progress and stability of Vietnamese futsal in recent years.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/tuyen-viet-nam-cung-bang-voi-trung-quoc-tai-vong-loai-futsal-chau-a-2026-706900.html
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