Vietnam to field under-21 team at Asian Games 2026 in build-up to 2028 Olympics

The proposal was approved at a meeting of the VFF executive committee on Thursday and confirmed by federation officials following the VFF's annual congress on Friday.

Nguyen Xuan Vu, a VFF vice president, said the under-21 squad would form the core of Vietnam's Olympic team, allowing players to gain experience ahead of future regional and international tournaments.

He said the age group would be eligible for the 2027 Southeast Asian Games and that several Asian football powers, including Japan and South Korea, have previously used younger squads at the Asian Games to prepare for Olympic qualification.

Vietnam took a similar approach at the 2022 Asian Games, held in China in 2023, when a largely under-20 squad represented the country in the men's tournament.

VFF officials said no performance target would be set for the Asian Games, with final decisions on coaching appointments and objectives subject to approval by Vietnam's sports authorities.

The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.