Indonesia, 27 January 2026 – Vietnam futsal have identified Kuwait as one of their two direct rivals in the race for the top two quarterfinal spots at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026, making the opening match against the Central Asian side feel like an “early final” of the group. The result of this encounter is expected to shape the entire qualification path for coach Diego Giustozzi and his players.
Vietnam are drawn in Group B of the tournament and will play Kuwait at 17:00 on January 27, followed by matches against Lebanon at 13:00 on January 29 and Thailand at 15:00 on January 31. Among these opponents, Lebanon appear to be the weakest on paper, having suffered a four-goal defeat to Vietnam in the qualifiers and currently sitting as low as 54th on the FIFA rankings. Because of that, Lebanon are not seen as a major threat in the group.
Experts agree that Vietnam’s two decisive matches will be against Kuwait and Thailand. Thailand are widely regarded as the strongest team in Group B, so the opening fixture against Kuwait becomes even more critical. Coach Diego Giustozzi’s side must take points from this match to maintain control over their qualification hopes and to create flexibility for the remaining group games.
Kuwait bring significant pedigree to the tournament, having appeared 14 times at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup finals, compared to Vietnam’s eight. After a disappointing 2024 campaign where they failed to progress beyond the group stage, Kuwait launched a major rebuild and appointed Bruno Garcia as head coach. Notably, Garcia is the same coach who guided Vietnam futsal to their historic first-ever World Cup qualification in 2016, making his presence on the opposing bench a compelling subplot.
Under Garcia’s leadership, Kuwait have developed a more open and effective attacking style. They scored 12 goals in three qualification matches, with veteran forward Saleh Al-Fadhel (31 years old) netting four goals and emerging as their most dangerous attacking weapon. His movement and finishing will be a major challenge for Vietnam’s defense.
Vietnam, meanwhile, approach the tournament with both concerns and renewed optimism. Two recent friendly defeats against Afghanistan exposed defensive weaknesses, with the team conceding 10 goals across those matches. However, these setbacks also provided valuable lessons, allowing the coaching staff to identify problems and make timely adjustments. After nearly a month of focused preparation, the squad is now considered ready. The return of reigning Golden Ball winner Chau Doan Phat, alongside experienced player Tran Thai Huy, is expected to restore balance and add greater resilience to the lineup.
Vietnam currently sit 20 places above Kuwait on the FIFA futsal rankings and have beaten them in two recent friendlies (3-2 and 3-1) ahead of the Asian Cup qualifiers. These results offer psychological encouragement. Coach Diego Giustozzi has also expressed strong confidence in the young generation he has developed over the past year, stressing that Vietnam futsal are on the right long-term path toward the goal of qualifying for the 2028 World Cup.
The team arrive at the Asian Cup finals at a time when Vietnamese football fans are still celebrating U23 Vietnam’s bronze medal at the U23 Asian Cup. VFF Vice President Tran Anh Tu has drawn inspiration from that achievement to motivate the futsal squad, urging them to carry the “Vietnamese spirit” into every match. Supporters now hope that Chau Doan Phat and his teammates can deliver a strong performance in the opening game of 2026, setting the tone for a promising campaign ahead.
Hanh Ngan
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