Vietnam's men's futsal team are pressing ahead with a November training trip to Kyrgyzstan and Russia, including four friendlies, even though the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG 6) they were preparing for have been pushed back to late March 2027. According to Bongdaplus, coach Diego Giustozzi's staff are only adjusting the technical side of the build-up to fit the new timeline; the training and camp schedule set earlier stays in place.
Games moved to 2027
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Saudi Arabian organisers informed Asia's national Olympic committees of the postponement on 26 October, and the Vietnam Olympic Committee has received the official notice, SGGP reported. AIMAG 6 was originally set for 11-21 December 2026 in Riyadh; the new dates are expected to be 28 March to 8 April 2027. SGGP said the decision followed unpredictable developments in Saudi Arabia, where the military situation had become a concern for many countries.
The programme lists 18 sports (25 disciplines) and 122 sets of medals, futsal among them. It is also the first time mixed martial arts (MMA) is an official AIMAG sport.
Key dates
Compiled from Bongdaplus and SGGP:
| Date | Team | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 November | Men | Fly to Kyrgyzstan |
| 3 and 5 November | Men | Two friendlies against Kyrgyzstan |
| 6 November | Men | Travel to Russia |
| 8 and 10 November | Men | Two friendlies against Russia |
| 11 November | Men | Return home |
| 12 and 14 November | Women | Two friendlies against New Zealand in Ho Chi Minh City |
| 19 and 21 November | Women | Two friendlies against Russia's women's futsal team |
| 20-29 November | Men's squad players | National Sports Games 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City with their home units |
| 28 March to 8 April 2027 | Men and women | AIMAG 6 in Saudi Arabia (expected) |
What it means for Vietnam
The men's squad trains at the Chánh Hưng ward futsal club arena in Ho Chi Minh City. Bongdaplus says the AIMAG build-up is part of a longer plan aimed at reaching the 2028 Futsal World Cup: the Argentine coach wants plenty of international matches to assess his players, give them experience and bed in his tactical ideas, which is also why this camp includes many new faces. SGGP sees the friendlies as a chance to test the squad, look at newcomers and polish the team's style of play.
The women's team under coach Nguyễn Đình Hoàng had planned to regroup in Ho Chi Minh City in November for AIMAG. With the Games delayed, SGGP reports, they will keep their training and friendly programme because the visiting teams had already planned their trips.
SGGP also reported that some Vietnamese national teams in other sports ended their AIMAG preparations as soon as the official notice arrived, and it expects the 2027 domestic futsal calendar may have to be reorganised around national team camps, a question it says should be settled early to limit disruption for clubs.
What comes next
The men leave for Kyrgyzstan on 1 November, play the hosts on 3 and 5 November, then face Russia on 8 and 10 November before flying home on 11 November. Players including Châu Đoàn Phát then return to their home units for the National Sports Games in Ho Chi Minh City from 20-29 November. The women play New Zealand on 12 and 14 November and Russia on 19 and 21 November. Dates for all national sides are on the Vietnam national team fixtures page.