Recently, the father of coach Kim Sang-sik - Mr. Kim Jong-won passed away in Busan (Korea) on September 12, at the age of 84. The funeral was held in his hometown.
Immediately after receiving the news, on behalf of the Executive Committee and the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation, Chairman Tran Quoc Tuan sent condolences to coach Kim Sang-sik's family. In addition, Hoang Anh Gia Lai club and Mr. Park Hang-seo's family also sent wreaths of condolences.
According to the plan, after completing family matters at home, coach Kim Sang-sik will immediately return to Vietnam on September 16. He will soon return to work with the Vietnamese national team in the preparation phase for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
It is expected that the list of 23 Vietnamese national team players to be called up will be announced on September 18, before the players gather on September 20 after the National Cup closes.
The whole team only has a few days to prepare before entering the competition at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, which will be held in Indonesia. At this tournament, the Vietnamese team will meet the Philippines on September 26, Thailand on September 29 and Pakistan on October 2.
After the group stage, if the Vietnamese team leads the group, they will win a ticket to the final. In case of finishing second in the group, Quang Hai and his teammates will play the third-place match.
This is also the next important tournament for coach Kim Sang-sik and his students in 2026. The team has the opportunity to accumulate FIFA points in an official tournament, while aiming for the first title of the FIFA ASEAN Cup.
