FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 creates new standards for Southeast Asian football
According to commentator Anh Quan, FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is of special significance because this is the first time the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has directly organized a regional tournament in Southeast Asia, instead of being managed by the Association of Southeast Asian Football Federations (AFF) as in previous ASEAN Cups.
He assessed that the tournament taking place within the FIFA Days from September 24 to October 3, 2026 is the biggest difference.
Clubs around the world have an obligation to return players to the national team according to FIFA regulations. This helps teams to call up the strongest force, including players playing in Europe or other national championships," commentator Anh Quan said.
According to this expert, the fact that all matches are scored on the FIFA rankings also significantly increases the professional value of the tournament.
This is not only a regular regional tournament but also has strategic significance in accumulating points on the FIFA rankings. The results of each match will directly affect the position of the teams in the process of moving towards long-term goals such as the Asian Cup or World Cup qualifiers," he said.
Commentator Anh Quan also said that the Division 1 and Division 2 models help teams compete with opponents with similar levels, thereby improving competitiveness and limiting too large differences in expertise.
The Vietnamese team will face the strongest versions of Thailand and the Philippines
Commenting on Group B Division 1, where the Vietnamese team meets Thailand, Philippines and Pakistan, commentator Anh Quan said that the competition for the top spot will focus on the three teams Vietnam, Thailand and Philippines.
Pakistan is considered the weakest team in the group. Therefore, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines will have to make the most of this match to win 3 points and the best goal difference in the group top race," he analyzed.
According to him, the big difference of the FIFA ASEAN Cup lies in the fact that the teams all have almost optimal forces, unlike many previous ASEAN Cups when many foreign clubs did not release players.
Thailand will have the opportunity to gather stars like Chanathip Songkrasin, Supachok, Suphanat or Supachai. The Philippines may also call up players playing in Europe. These will be the strongest versions of the opponents that the Vietnamese team will face," he said.
Assessing the Vietnamese team, commentator Anh Quan said that coach Kim Sang-sik's team is maintaining stability, but there is not much room to upgrade the force compared to opponents in the region.
The Vietnamese team has a stable foundation. However, while many opponents can significantly increase their strength thanks to the return of players playing abroad, the Vietnamese team mainly relies on some additions and players returning from injury," he shared.
According to commentator Anh Quan, FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 will be a very valuable professional test for coach Kim Sang-sik as well as the Vietnamese national team.
This will be a real test to assess the ability of the Vietnamese team when facing opponents in the strongest state. At the same time, each match is also important in accumulating FIFA points, creating a foundation for the long-term goals of Vietnamese football," commentator Anh Quan emphasized.
