Vietnam’s national futsal team is preparing for a major challenge at the 2026 Continental Futsal Championship in Thailand, where it will face several strong international opponents as part of its long-term development plans.
Head coach Diego Raul Giustozzi has selected an 18-player squad for the tournament, which will run from August 1 to August 6 in Nonthaburi Province, near Bangkok. The event has become an important fixture on the international futsal calendar since its launch in 2021.
Five teams from three continents will compete in this year’s edition. Alongside Vietnam and host nation Thailand, the tournament will feature Russia, Afghanistan, and New Zealand.
The competition will follow a round-robin format. Each team will play against every other team once. The nation that collects the highest number of points at the end of the tournament will be crowned champion.
Coach Giustozzi has chosen a balanced squad that combines experienced players with several promising young talents. Many of the younger players earned national team opportunities after strong performances in the domestic futsal season.
One of the most closely watched newcomers is Huỳnh Văn Hoài of Thái Sơn Nam FC. The young player has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign and has shown steady improvement throughout the season. His performances attracted the attention of the coaching staff and earned him his first senior national team call-up.
Another young talent in the squad is Nguyễn Trọng Kiên of Thái Sơn Bắc. Kiên played a major role in helping his club win the 2026 national futsal title. The championship ended a 16-year wait for the club and marked a historic achievement.
Kiên contributed both goals and assists during the season. In the decisive final-round match, he scored as Thái Sơn Bắc secured a 6-0 victory over Tân Hiệp Hưng-HCM City and captured its first national championship.
His teammate Nguyễn Nhân Nam has also earned a place in the national squad. Nam is regarded as one of the brightest young players in Vietnamese futsal. He helped Thái Sơn Bắc win the national under-20 championship in 2025 and is known for his technical ability, tactical understanding, and clinical finishing.
Nguyễn Thanh Tâm of Sài Gòn Titans is another first-time call-up. Tâm impressed during the season with his pace, energy, and ability to create scoring opportunities. His performances made him one of the standout young players in the national championship.
Vietnam currently sits 22nd in the world rankings and enters the tournament with limited preparation time. The team began training in Ho Chi Minh City this week and has only a few days to finalize tactics before traveling to Thailand.
The opening match will be one of the toughest tests of the tournament. Vietnam will face world number seven Russia on August 1. The two teams previously met in the quarter-finals of the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup, where Russia edged Vietnam by a narrow 3-2 score.
Vietnam’s second match will come against New Zealand on August 2. The Oceania side is ranked 48th in the world. Their most recent meeting ended in a 2-2 draw during an international friendly tournament in 2024.
The Vietnamese team will then take on Afghanistan on August 3. Afghanistan is ranked 21st in the world, just ahead of Vietnam. The teams have become familiar opponents and will meet for the third time within six months. Afghanistan won the previous two encounters, recording 5-2 and 5-3 victories in friendly matches earlier this year.
Vietnam will conclude its campaign against regional rival Thailand on August 5. Thailand is ranked 11th globally and remains one of Asia’s strongest futsal nations.
The two sides regularly meet in regional competitions and the SEA Games. Their most recent clash came at the 2026 AFF Futsal Cup, where Thailand claimed a 4-2 victory during the group stage.
Beyond the results, the tournament holds significant value for Vietnam’s future plans. The championship forms part of Giustozzi’s preparations for the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and provides valuable experience for players targeting qualification for the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Earlier this year, Vietnam reached the quarter-finals of the Asian competition and secured a third-place finish in Southeast Asia. The upcoming matches against higher-ranked opponents will offer another important opportunity to measure progress and build momentum for future international events.
