Pakistan, Vietnam's opponent in the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup, is only ranked 198th in the world, but they have a head coach who was a legend of Peruvian football and the English Premier League: Nolberto Solano.

The 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup marks the first time the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has organized a regional tournament for Southeast Asia within the FIFA Days framework.

Detailed update on the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 competition format, the first tournament organized by FIFA, where the Vietnam national team will face Thailand and many strong opponents in their quest for the championship.

FIFA's decision to place Pakistan in Division 1 alongside Vietnam in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 has sparked controversy, as the South Asian team holds a very low FIFA ranking.

Thai media pays special attention to the Vietnam national team after the two teams were drawn into the same group in the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup, while predicting this will be a tense showdown.

The Vietnam team is preparing to play their second group stage match in the ASEAN Cup 2026 against Singapore. Compared to the version that won the ASEAN Cup 2024, the "Golden Star Warriors" have undergone many personnel changes.

At first glance, signing a 35-year-old striker like Danny Welbeck seems like a surprising decision by Chelsea. However, Xabi Alonso sees in the former Manchester United forward the qualities the team lacks: experience, playmaking ability, and sharpness in the box to elevate their attack this season.

Indonesia has long been considered a tough opponent for the Vietnam team, but the squad under coach John Herdman promises to be even more formidable. The 5-1 victory over Cambodia in the opening match of Group A of the ASEAN Cup 2026 was not only a good score but also reflected the true professional gap between the two teams. Notably, Indonesia appeared to have not yet unleashed their full strength.

The 4-0 victory over Laos has boosted confidence for the Malaysian team ahead of the anticipated difficult clash with Thailand in the next match of Group B of the ASEAN Cup 2026.

In addition to continuing to strengthen weak positions in the squad, Manchester United are also looking for opportunities to sell players to raise funds. Currently, the top name on the selling list is Zirkzee. According to i Paper, Manchester United's stance on Zirkzee has softened. Juventus, Roma, and Como—three Serie A clubs—are all vying to bring the 25-year-old Dutch striker back to Italy.