Singapore to face defending champions Vietnam in 2026 ASEAN football championship

SINGAPORE: Singapore will face defending champions Vietnam in the group stage of the upcoming ASEAN Hyundai Cup, the tournament's organisers announced on Thursday (Jan 15).

The Lions will also play against Indonesia, Cambodia and the winner of a playoff between Brunei and Timor-Leste in Group A of the competition.

The draw for the biennial regional tournament took place in Jakarta on Thursday.

The 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup – the 16th edition of the ASEAN Championship – will run from Jul 24 to Aug 26, with group-stage matches to be played on a home-or-away single round-robin basis.

The tournament's other group, Group B, consists of Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Laos.

Brunei will host the first leg of the home-and-away qualifying round playoff with Timor-Leste on Jun 2, with Timor-Leste hosting the return leg on Jun 9.

The top two finishers in each group will advance to the home-and-away semi-finals, with the first legs to be played on Aug 15 and 16, and the return legs taking place on Aug 18 and 19.

The two-legged final, which will also be played on a home-and-away basis, will be held on Aug 22 and 26.

Lions head coach Gavin Lee told the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) on Thursday that the draw presents a strong opportunity for growth.

"Our priority is to focus on ourselves, prepare thoroughly, and make sure the players are ready to go into every match ready to win," he said.

"This tournament is an important part of our preparations for the Asian Cup, giving us the chance to test ourselves against strong opposition in difficult conditions while building the experience needed to compete at the highest level.

"The homework starts now."

Lions captain Hariss Harun told FAS the team is "raring to go" and see how far they can push themselves.

"Singaporeans have stood by us, and we want to keep making them proud by showing our fighting spirit and togetherness on the pitch," he said.

ASEAN Football Federation president Khiev Sameth said that the draw highlighted the "rising quality, competitiveness and ambition of football" across Southeast Asia.

"Building on the strong support and engagement of recent editions, the AFF remains steadfast in its commitment to further elevating the tournament's standards and reach," he added.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the ASEAN Championship.

Thailand are the most successful nation in the history of the competition, having been crowned champions of Southeast Asia seven times.

The Lions have won the ASEAN Championship four times – in 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2012.

They bowed out in the semi-finals at the last edition of the tournament after falling 5-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Vietnam.

Hyundai is the fourth title sponsor of the ASEAN Championship, after Mitsubishi Electric, Suzuki and Tiger Beer. The South Korean conglomerate was unveiled as its new title partner last May.

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