On the afternoon of March 5, in Nha Trang, the draw ceremony for the group stage final round of the 4th Vietnam Youth Student Football Tournament - 2026 THACO Cup took place.
The draw results determined 3 groups A, B and C with many matches predicted to be evenly matched.
Accordingly, group A includes: Nha Trang University, FPT Polytechnic College, Ton Duc Thang University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry.
Table B includes: Thuy Loi University, Dong Nai University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education and Dong Thap University.
Group C includes: Thanh Hoa University of Culture - Sports - Tourism, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Quy Nhon University and Da Nang University of Physical Education and Sports.
All three groups are considered highly competitive as many teams that have made their mark in previous seasons also participate.
In Group B, the two candidates for the championship, Thuy Loi University and Dong Nai University of Technology, are in the same group, promising to create a fierce competition for a place in the quarterfinals.
This group also has the appearance of two newcomers from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education and Dong Thap University, teams that are considered to have many potential surprises.
Meanwhile, Group C attracted attention when it gathered both the defending champion, Thanh Hoa University of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the defending runner-up, Da Nang University of Physical Education and Sports.
Notably, the Thanh Hoa team will reunite with Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - an opponent who lost 0-1 in the quarter-finals last season.
In Group A, the home team Nha Trang University will face major challenges when facing FPT Polytechnic College, Ton Duc Thang University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry.
In which, Ton Duc Thang University has twice reached the semi-finals of the tournament and passed the qualifying round this year with a perfect record, scoring 15 goals. Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry also reached the semi-finals last season.
FPT Polytechnic College is assessed to possess a force of young players with good speed, technique and fitness, and also closed the Northern regional qualifying round with a perfect record.
According to the schedule, the opening match of the final round will take place at 1:00 PM on March 7 between Ton Duc Thang University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry. The opening match is the confrontation between host Nha Trang University and FPT Polytechnic College.
The final round of TNSV THACO Cup 2026 takes place from March 7 to 22. in Nha Trang.
The champion team of the tournament will participate in the International Youth Student Football Tournament held in Nha Trang with the host team and four representatives of Southeast Asian students including Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore.
The Vietnam Youth Student Football Tournament has entered its fourth season. In the previous three seasons, the winning teams were Hue University (Season I), Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports (Season II) and Thanh Hoa University of Culture - Sports - Tourism (Season III).
Notably, two of the three most recent champions, Hue University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports, did not pass the qualifying round this season.
