The 2024 AFF Cup (newly named ASEAN Cup) kicks off on December 8. This will also be the first major tournament coach Kim Sang-sik leads the Vietnamese team. In the opening match, the Vietnamese team will play away to Laos on December 9.
To win the top spot in the group, the Vietnamese team needs to defeat Indonesia - an opponent they have lost to in all 3 matches this year.
According to the format, the top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout round. This is the minimum task as the Vietnamese team has reached the semi-finals in the last 5 tournaments.
The first leg of the semi-finals will take place on 26 and 27 December, with the return legs three days later. The final will be played on a home and away format on 2 and 5 January 2025.
The last time Vietnam won the Southeast Asian championship was in 2018, then finished second in 2022.
Currently, Thailand is the reigning AFF Cup champion. They are also the highest ranked team in Southeast Asia on the FIFA rankings (97).
