Vietnam women's team ready for Asiad 2026: Journey through 5 friendlies and quarterfinal target

Vietnam women's national team has completed an extensive preparation cycle for Asiad 2026 in Japan, with the management setting a clear target: reaching the quarterfinals. Head coach Hoang Van Phuc's squad will open their group stage campaign on September 14 against Chinese Taipei. At the pre-tournament press conference, Head Coach Hoang Van Phuc confirmed the team is in good health and ready to compete. This marks the first time Vietnam's women's football team participates in Asiad under his leadership, opening a new chapter for the national team that impressed at the 2026 World Cup. Vietnam's preparation journey has been comprehensive and deep. The team spent 3 weeks training in Vietnam, then proceeded to a 19-day camp in China with 2 international friendly matches. Before departing for Japan, Hoang Van Phuc's squad played 3 friendlies in Hanoi, bringing their total preparation matches to 5. Among their opponents, the most notable was the clash with China's women's national team. Despite a 0-3 defeat, Vietnam's players had the opportunity to directly test themselves against one of Asia's strongest teams, gaining valuable insight into the gap between themselves and the continent's elite. Additionally, they secured a 1-0 victory over Jiangsu Women's Club, a club-level team in China. Experts assess that this preparation series shows Vietnam can compete with club-level opposition but still has a significant gap compared to top Asian national teams. This provides crucial context for evaluating the team's true capabilities before the official tournament. Regarding tactics, Head Coach Hoang Van Phuc stated that the friendlies helped the team finalize personnel, prepare tactical options, and give players valuable international experience. However, the Vietnamese strategist did not disclose specific tactical systems or starting lineup, given that Group E opponents have markedly different playing styles. Group E at Asiad 2026 is considered highly competitive with Japan (host nation, top seed), Thailand (direct regional rival), and Chinese Taipei (mid-tier Asian team). With this draw, Vietnam's advancement chances depend heavily on results against the two opponents besides Japan. The Asiad 2026 format features 12 teams divided into 3 groups of 4. The top 2 teams from each group plus the 2 best third-placed teams advance to the quarterfinals. This format opens multiple advancement paths for Vietnam while creating goal-difference competition dynamics. Vietnam women's team confirmed their group stage schedule: opener against Chinese Taipei on September 14, followed by the clash with hosts Japan on September 17, before concluding group stage against Thailand on September 21. The Southeast Asian derby against Thailand is expected to be decisive for both teams' advancement hopes. Regarding squad status, Hoang Van Phuc confirmed the entire team is in good health with no significant injuries reported before the tournament. However, the official squad list and position details have not been widely disclosed, making detailed assessment of squad suitability difficult for experts. The quarterfinal target set by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is considered achievable yet challenging. This objective aligns consistently with Vietnam's position in Southeast Asian and continental football. Their participation in the 2026 World Cup demonstrates the Vietnamese women's capabilities are not weak by Asian standards, despite remaining gaps with top-tier teams. Experts suggest the match against Thailand on September 21 could be the key fixture determining Vietnam's fate at the tournament. This is a regional derby where performance and mental strength often outweigh purely technical factors. A victory over Thailand would open a clear advancement path, while a defeat could make the quarterfinal target unattainable. The opening match against Chinese Taipei also holds special importance. A victory in the first match would create favorable momentum for subsequent games while reinforcing confidence in the extensive preparation period. Conversely, a negative result could raise questions about the effectiveness of the China camp. Financially, the costs for the 19-day camp in China and moving the entire delegation to Japan demonstrate significant investment from VFF and sponsors for this campaign. This level of investment reflects the federation's expectations for the team while showing Vietnam's women's football is receiving support proportional to its development potential. Success at Asiad 2026 could create a positive ripple effect for Vietnam's women's football, from attracting sponsorships to raising community awareness about domestic women's football. Multi-sport events like Asiad offer media advantages as public attention is distributed across multiple sports, thereby reducing pressure compared to football-only tournaments. Vietnam's women's national team has arrived in Japan and conducted their first training session on September 13, just one day before their opening match. The remaining time was used for players to adapt to local weather, pitch conditions, and tournament atmosphere. With comprehensive preparation, high determination, and clear objectives, Vietnam's women's team is ready for their biggest challenge since the 2026 World Cup. The remaining question is whether the red-shirted girls can navigate the difficult group stage to achieve the quarterfinal target, with the answer to be determined starting September 14.