FIFA has officially confirmed that the 2024 ASEAN Cup will be recognized as an “A Match level” event.
This is a significant milestone for Southeast Asian football, as the results of this tournament will now count toward the FIFA rankings at the top level, Category 1. In the international football system, A Matches not only carry high technical importance but also have a substantial impact on the rankings of national teams on the FIFA World Ranking.
A Matches are applied to major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, Confederations Cup, UEFA Euro, or AFC Asian Cup, including both qualifiers and finals. These events are organized according to the highest standards, featuring the strongest national teams in the world.
In addition to major tournaments, FIFA has expanded this criterion to include certain friendly matches and special competitions if they meet strict conditions. Firstly, both teams must field their highest-level national teams. Secondly, the refereeing crew, including the main referee and assistant referees, must be FIFA-certified officials. Thirdly, the matches must comply with FIFA’s stringent regulations, including a minimum 48-hour gap between matches. Lastly, detailed reports of the match and player rosters must be submitted to FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Thus, the ASEAN Cup 2024 being recognized as an A Match marks a milestone for Southeast Asian football. This not only enhances the tournament’s prestige but also motivates Southeast Asian national teams to strive harder, accumulate points, and improve their standings on the FIFA rankings.
According to the official schedule, the group stage of the ASEAN Cup 2024 will begin on December 8, 2024, later than the originally planned date of November 23, 2024. After the group stage concludes, the semi-finals will take place from December 26-30, 2024, in a home-and-away format. The first leg of the final is scheduled for January 2, 2025, with the second leg on January 5, 2025.
The Vietnam National Team is in Group B alongside Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar. In their opening match, Vietnam will face Laos on December 9, 2024, at 8:00 PM local time in Laos. After that, the team will host Indonesia at 8:00 PM on December 15, 2024, at Vietnam’s Viet Tri Stadium. The last two matches of the group stage will see Vietnam face the Philippines and Myanmar.
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