The historic victory of the Vietnamese men's volleyball team in stage 2 of SEA V.Cup 2026 not only brought the first title for the country's men's volleyball, but also created a great spiritual boost before the women's team entered the journey to conquer SEA V.Cup 2026.
Compared to the men's team, the women's team has affirmed its position in the region for many years. However, defeating Thailand is still the biggest challenge. Last season, Thanh Thuy and her teammates did that when they overcame opponents to win the championship for the first time in stage 2 of the SEA V.Cup. That victory showed that the gap between the two volleyball backgrounds has been significantly narrowed.
Entering SEA V.Cup 2026, the Vietnamese women's team continues to possess a quality squad with pillars such as Thanh Thuy, Kim Thoa, Khanh Dang, Bich Thuy or Nhu Quynh. These are all faces who have competed together in many international tournaments, creating stability in both expertise and battlefield bravery.
Although personnel had to be adjusted when middle blocker Nguyen Phuong Quynh was injured and replaced by Luu Thi Hue, the strength of the Vietnamese team was almost not affected too much.
Not only having home advantage, the Vietnamese team also received another positive signal from the biggest opponent. According to the registered list of the Thai women's team, coach Kiattipong did not call up some key players who have been attached to the team for many years such as setter Pornpun Guedpard, middle blocker Thatdao Nuekjang and main attacker Chatchu-on Moksri. Instead, many young faces were given opportunities to serve the force transfer process.
These absences could significantly affect Thailand's strength. Passer Pornpun has long been considered the "brain" in the playing style of the Golden Temple team thanks to his ability to coordinate, distribute ball speed and create breakthroughs.
Middle blocker Thatdao is not only a spiritual leader but also an important stopper on the net with rich international competition experience. Meanwhile, striker Chatchu-on is always one of the most comprehensive main attackers in Asia, taking on both scoring and supporting defense and first-footing.
The lack of these pillars will certainly cause Thailand to somewhat reduce its strength and need more time for young faces to integrate. For the Vietnamese team, this is a favorable time to create an advantage in the championship competition, especially when Thanh Thuy and her teammates are having stability in force as well as form.
However, that does not mean that Vietnam will easily overcome the opponent. Thai volleyball still possesses a leading training foundation in the region with a very quality successor system. New names, although still lacking experience, are all trained in a professional environment and can completely create surprises.
Moreover, the bold rejuvenation of the force shows that the Thai coaching staff is aiming for a long-term goal, preparing for major tournaments in the continent and the world.
Therefore, the decisive factor for the success of the Vietnamese team still lies in themselves. If they maintain the ability to serve to put pressure, the block operates effectively, and attacking spearheads like Thanh Thuy and Nhu Quynh are in the right form, the opportunity to defend the championship is completely feasible.
After the miracle of the men's team, fans are waiting for another victory from the Vietnamese girls. With what they have, from the force, home field advantage to the fact that the biggest opponent does not use the strongest squad, SEA V.Cup 2026 can be seen as one of the clearest opportunities for the Vietnamese women's team to continue to affirm its number one position in Southeast Asia and continue the success that the men's team has just created.
Playing at home will be a significant advantage for Thanh Thuy and her teammates. The cheers of Hanoi fans once added strength for the women's team to achieve many positive results in international tournaments, and this year's SEA V.Cup is expected to be no exception.
More importantly, the success of the men's team has created a positive effect for the entire Vietnamese volleyball team. That historic championship proves that Vietnamese teams can completely overcome opponents who are considered to be higher if they maintain confidence, bravery and a reasonable playing style.
Another title not only helps Thanh Thuy and her teammates continue the miracle of the men's team, but also affirms the increasingly solid position of Vietnamese volleyball on the Southeast Asian map.
