The Vietnamese team won a ticket in the first leg of Group F after their direct competitor Malaysia was defeated 0-3 by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in two matches for violating player regulations. This result helps coach Kim Sang-sik's team create a safe and solid gap to advance.
In addition, 20 teams have tickets to the 2027 Asian Cup by passing the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia. The list includes: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Iraq, Iran, Uzbekistan, Qatar, UAE, Japan, South Korea, Oman, Palestine, Bahrain, Jordan, China, Indonesia, DPRK, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan, Singapore and Syria.
Thus, the biggest continental tournament at the national team level has identified 21/24 participation slots. The remaining three tickets will be decided after the final qualifying round matches taking place at the end of March.
In Southeast Asia, there are currently three representatives including Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore. This number could increase if the Philippines and Thailand achieve favorable results in the upcoming decisive matches.
According to the plan, the draw for the group stage of the 2027 Asian Cup finals will take place on April 11, preparing for the tournament held in Saudi Arabia.
