Hanoi, 14 July, 2025 – Vietnam national team is likely to miss a potential high-profile friendly against Bangladesh, featuring Premier League midfielder Hamza Choudhury, during the upcoming FIFA Days in September 2025.
According to recent reports, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has planned a series of international friendlies in the September FIFA window as part of their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. The BFF is said to have extended invitations to both Vietnam and Cambodia for these fixtures.
However, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has confirmed that the national team will not regroup during the September FIFA Days. The decision stems from a strategic focus on the U23 Vietnam team, which is currently under the leadership of head coach Kim Sang Sik. The U23 side will compete in the AFF U23 Championship 2025 in July, followed by the AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in September, hosted in Viet Tri, Phu Tho.
Due to this tightly packed schedule, the VFF is unlikely to accept the friendly invitation from Bangladesh. This means the senior national team may miss out on a rare opportunity to face Hamza Choudhury, the Leicester City midfielder who won the FA Cup in 2021 and has become a key figure in Bangladesh’s squad following his international switch.
Vietnam’s next scheduled fixtures will be in the October FIFA window, when the team is set to face Nepal in a two-legged friendly series. The first match will take place on home soil on October 9, followed by the return leg away on October 14.
Although missing out on the Bangladesh fixture may disappoint fans hoping to see Vietnam test themselves against a Premier League-caliber opponent, the focus remains on building the U23 team for future success and qualification for major continental tournaments.
Dang Long
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