Hanoi, 12 February 2026 – This afternoon, U17 Vietnam officially learned their group-stage opponents for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup. The draw placed Vietnam in Group C alongside strong teams South Korea, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates.
This is considered a difficult group, as South Korea is one of Asia’s traditional football powerhouses. Meanwhile, Yemen and the UAE are known for their physical strength, athleticism, and pace. As a result, U17 Vietnam will need to deliver strong performances to achieve their initial objective of advancing past the group stage.
Vietnam’s youth side delivered an outstanding campaign in the qualification round, finishing top of Group C with a perfect record of five wins from five matches. Cristiano Roland’s squad was especially impressive in attack, scoring 30 goals while maintaining a flawless defensive record without conceding a single goal.
Alongside U17 China, U17 Vietnam was one of only two teams to complete the qualifiers without conceding. Additionally, Vietnam ranked as the second-highest scoring team in the qualification phase with 30 goals, trailing only China, who scored 42.
The 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals will take place in Saudi Arabia from June 7 to June 24. The top eight teams in the tournament will qualify for the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup, meaning that if U17 Vietnam successfully advances beyond the group stage, they will secure a historic place at the World Cup in Qatar.
VSN/RPT
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