Hanoi, 26 August, 2025 – U23 Vietnam will receive significant support in their campaign to qualify for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals, following the signing of a major sponsorship agreement. On the afternoon of August 26 in Hanoi, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) held a ceremony to announce LPBank (Loc Phat Commercial Joint Stock Bank) as the main partner for Group C of the qualifiers.
Speaking at the event, Nguyen Van Phu, General Secretary of VFF, praised the importance of the partnership, describing it as both a practical and symbolic source of motivation:
“The support of LPBank provides meaningful encouragement, not only for the organizing work but also for U23 Vietnam themselves. VFF believes this collaboration will help boost the team’s confidence as they aim to secure a place in the finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup and continue to affirm Vietnamese football’s standing on the continental stage.”
The qualifiers for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup will feature 44 teams divided into 11 groups, competing in a round-robin format. The group winners and the four best second-placed teams will book their tickets to the final tournament, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.
According to the draw results, U23 Vietnam are placed in Group C, alongside Yemen, Singapore, and Bangladesh. All matches in this group will be hosted at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province, running from September 3 to September 9, 2025.
This marks another step in VFF’s long-term development plan for the youth teams. Head coach Kim Sang Sik, together with the federation, has been building a robust pathway to ensure Vietnam’s young players gain experience and maturity. Since the latter half of 2024, several players eligible for the U22 and U23 categories have been called up to the senior national team during FIFA Days, giving them valuable exposure to international football and helping them sharpen tactical awareness.
In addition, U23 Vietnam have been given opportunities to test themselves at top-level youth competitions. Earlier this year, the team competed at the U22 International Tournament in China, facing strong opponents such as Uzbekistan, South Korea, and hosts China.
Most recently, the team added another highlight to their achievements by winning the ASEAN U23 Championship 2025 in Indonesia, marking their third consecutive title. The dramatic victory over the hosts in the final not only strengthened their winning mentality but also gave the squad a significant confidence boost ahead of the Asian qualifiers.
With home advantage, strong preparation, and crucial backing from LPBank, U23 Vietnam are expected to make a serious push for a ticket to Saudi Arabia, aiming to confirm once again their position as one of the rising powers of Asian football.
Hong Phuc -Dang Long
Leave a Reply