The gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games will open up an important spiritual boost for the U23 Vietnam team ahead of the 2026 U23 Asian Cup finals.
The tournament will take place in Saudi Arabia from January 6 to January 24, 2026, gathering 16 top Asian teams. The teams are divided into 4 groups, competing in a round-robin to select the 8 best teams to enter the quarter-finals.
According to the plan, U23 Vietnam will head to Saudi Arabia on December 26 to adapt to weather and field conditions. In the context of the weather in Hanoi about to turn cold, going to West Asia early is considered necessary for players to get used to the climate, time zones as well as the pace of life in the host country.
At this tournament, Mr. Tran Anh Tu - Vice President of VFF will lead the team. Mr. Tran Anh Tu's continued support with coach Kim Sang-sik is considered an important fulcrum in terms of management and expertise. They have played alongside many successful campaigns of Vietnamese football such as the 2024 ASEAN Cup, the 2024 U23 Southeast Asian Cup and the 33rd SEA Games.
In the 2026 U23 Asian Cup finals, U23 Vietnam is in Group A with Jordan, Kyrgyzstan and Saudi Arabia.
According to the match schedule, Dinh Bac and his teammates will face U23 Jordan at 6:30 p.m. on January 6, 2026, then meet U23 Kyrgyzstan at 9:00 p.m. on January 9, 2026 and face host U23 Saudi Arabia at 11:30 p.m. on January 12, 2026.
