Vietnam to face Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Philippines in men’s football at 2026 Asian Games

The group draw ceremony was held in Nagoya, Japan on Thursday.

The draw results offer an encouraging path for the Vietnamese men's side, led by head coach Dinh Hong Vinh.

Among their group-stage opponents, Uzbekistan are widely regarded as the strongest contender, while the Philippines and Kuwait are considered more manageable rivals.

If Vietnam performs to its expected level, the team are well positioned to progress to the knockout stage alongside Uzbekistan.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals.

Thailand also received a relatively balanced draw in the men’s competition.

Placed in Group A, the Southeast Asian side will face Japan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hong Kong.

Japan are expected to top the group, leaving Thailand with a realistic opportunity to secure second place by overcoming Kyrgyzstan and Hong Kong.

In contrast, Groups B and D are expected to be the most competitive in the tournament, with several strong teams battling for the available quarterfinal spots.

The race for qualification in those groups is anticipated to be particularly intense.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese women’s national team will compete in a challenging Group A featuring Japan, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei.

While Japan enter the competition as the overwhelming favorites, Vietnam’s battle for a place in the knockout stage is likely to center on matches against Thailand and Chinese Taipei.

The men’s football tournament will take place from September 15 to October 3, while the women’s competition is scheduled for September 14 to October 2.

The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan between September 19 and October 4.

The men’s football event is restricted to players born on or after January 1, 2003, with each team permitted to include up to three over-age players.

The women’s competition will feature national teams.