Vietnam Women's Football Team: Building the Foundation for the World Cup Dream

The Vietnamese women's football team has just successfully completed its mission in the qualifying round of the Asian Women's Football Championship (ASIAN Cup 2026), when it won the right to enter the final round with the best result in the group.

This achievement not only helps coach Mai Duc Chung and his team reach the final round of the 2026 Asian Cup, but also creates a favorable momentum to build the foundation for the dream of winning a ticket to the Women's World Cup for the second time in the history of Vietnamese football.

A move in the match between the Vietnamese women's team (red shirt) and the United Arab Emirates women's team in the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Double win

The Vietnamese women's team ended the qualifying round of the 2026 Asian Cup with three big wins at home in Viet Tri ( Phu Tho ). Coach Mai Duc Chung's team defeated the Maldives (7-0), the United Arab Emirates (6-0) and Guam (4-0), earning all 9 points, scoring 17 goals and conceding none. With this result, the Vietnamese women's team topped Group E and became one of 12 representatives to participate in the final round of the 2026 Asian Cup, scheduled to take place in Australia next year.

Coach Mai Duc Chung expressed his satisfaction with his players' performance. However, he also said that the team still has many areas to improve: "Football always has surprises, but we always have hope of participating in the World Cup. I hope the players continue to make efforts, improve every day and make a breakthrough. In this qualifying round, the team has not been optimally prepared due to the short time. Some players from Ho Chi Minh City gathered late because they were busy competing in the AFC Champions League for women, while the U20 players could not attend because they were busy preparing for the U20 Asian qualifiers. Hopefully in the next training session, the team will have a full squad and be better prepared."

Commentator Vu Quang Huy commented that winning a ticket to the final round of the 2026 ASIAN Cup is a "double victory", because in addition to the achievement factor, coach Mai Duc Chung also has the opportunity to test his team and shape a new playing style.

“In the three qualifying matches, coach Mai Duc Chung used many different formations, combining key players and young faces. When the team created a safe gap, more young players were allowed to enter the field, thereby helping the coaching staff accurately assess the ability of each person. This is very necessary in the context of the Vietnamese women's team being in the process of rejuvenating its force,” commented Mr. Vu Quang Huy.

Prepare carefully for the World Cup goal

Along with the Vietnamese women's team, 11 other teams have qualified for the final round of the Asian Women's Cup, including: Host Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan. The final ticket will be determined after Group A (including Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Singapore and Bhutan) ends.

The Asian Cup Women's Finals also serve as the qualifying round for the 2027 Women's World Cup. According to the format, Asia has 6 direct slots to the World Cup Finals, in addition to 2 slots to participate in the intercontinental play-off round. Thus, if the Vietnamese women's team only passes the group stage of the Asian Cup Women's Championship, they will be very close to the 2027 World Cup.

According to football expert Phan Anh Tu, based on the FIFA rankings, the Vietnamese women's team is likely to be in the second seed group at the 2026 Asian Cup, along with China and South Korea. Group 1 includes host Australia, Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Group 3 includes the Philippines, Taiwan (China) and Uzbekistan, while the final group includes India, Bangladesh and the last team to qualify (most likely Iran or Jordan).

“To officially qualify for the World Cup, the Vietnamese women’s team needs to win the quarter-final match to enter the semi-finals. If they lose, the team still has a chance to enter the play-off round. However, compared to top Asian teams such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, China or North Korea, the possibility of the Vietnamese women’s team entering the semi-finals is very difficult. Therefore, the feasible goal is to pass the group stage and hope for the play-off round,” Mr. Phan Anh Tu analyzed.

Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Anh Tu also recalled the miracle at the 2022 ASIAN Cup, when the Vietnamese women's team defeated Thailand 2-0 and Taiwan (China) 2-1 in the play-off round, winning a ticket to the 2023 World Cup for the first time. "We have done it before under difficult conditions, so if we are well prepared, the team can completely repeat the miracle at the upcoming tournament in Australia," Mr. Tran Anh Tu expected.

The draw for the 2026 Asian Cup will take place on July 29 in Sydney, Australia. Once the opponents are determined, the Vietnamese women's team will develop a more detailed preparation plan. However, one thing is certain: the team needs enough time to prepare as well as the best players, including Vietnamese players abroad. In addition, overseas training trips with the opportunity to compete with better teams will be a good opportunity for the Vietnamese women's team to perfect their playing style.

With careful preparation, good opportunity taking advantage and a little luck, coach Mai Duc Chung and his team can completely continue their historic journey at the 2026 ASIAN Cup to achieve a further goal of a ticket to the 2027 World Cup.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/doi-tuyen-bong-da-nu-viet-nam-xay-nen-cho-giac-mo-world-cup-708962.html