Nguyen Xuan Vu, vice president of the Vietnam Football Federation, speaks after the federation’s annual congress in Hanoi, December 26, 2025. 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. The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.

Source: Tuoitre News December 26, 2025 11:15 UTC