Hanoi, 10 June 2026 – Hanoi Police FC have been drawn to face Adelaide United FC in a crucial AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 playoff, with a place in Asia’s premier club competition on the line.
According to the club allocations and competition structure recently announced by the Asian Football Confederation, Hanoi Police FC will represent Vietnam in the AFC Champions League Elite qualifying playoff. Their opponents will be Australian side Adelaide United, one of the A-League’s most established clubs.
The one-off playoff is scheduled for August 11 and will be held in Adelaide. Under AFC regulations, the higher-seeded team earns hosting rights in the qualifying round. Seedings are determined based on the AFC club competition rankings of each member association, with Australia currently ranked fifth in the East Region and Vietnam seventh. As a result, Adelaide United secured home advantage for the decisive encounter.
The match carries enormous significance for Hanoi Police FC. Victory would send the Vietnamese champions directly into the group stage of the AFC Champions League Elite, the highest level of club football in Asia. Even if they fail to overcome Adelaide United, the club would still continue its continental campaign by entering the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two.
A further challenge for Hanoi Police FC is the timing of the playoff, which coincides with preparations for the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026. With several national team players in the club’s squad, the Vietnam Football Federation has already begun working closely with the club to balance national team commitments and continental club duties.
The federation emphasized that player call-ups and squad management will be handled flexibly to ensure both the Vietnam national team and the country’s club representatives can compete at their highest level in international competitions.
Vietnam has been awarded two places in AFC club tournaments for the 2026/27 season. Hanoi Police FC will compete in the AFC Champions League Elite playoff, while The Cong Viettel have secured direct qualification to the AFC Champions League Two group stage.
Vietnam currently sits seventh in the AFC East Region club rankings, behind Japan, South Korea, Thailand, China, Australia, and Malaysia, maintaining representation in the continent’s top two club competitions for another season.
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