Vietnam's beach soccer team has gathered in Đà Nẵng with 20 players to prepare for the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup 2026, to be played in Phang Nga, Thailand, from 18 to 28 November 2026. SGGP and Báo Văn Hóa report that coach Mai Văn Đức's side are in Group B with Lebanon, defending champions Iran and Afghanistan.
A squad built on 2025 experience
Most of the 20 were picked for their form at the 2026 national beach soccer championship, held in Quy Nhơn (Gia Lai) in August. Nine went to the 2025 Asian championship: Nguyễn Hữu Ân, Nguyễn Anh Quang, Trần Kim Trung, Mai Văn Mãnh, Hồ Quốc Hưng, Lê Thái Nguyên, Phạm Trường Dũ, Trần Ngọc Bảo and Phan Đạt.
Báo Văn Hóa expects that core to give the team stability and help newcomers settle. The camp in Đà Nẵng focuses on fitness, ball control on sand, combination play and game plans for each group opponent.
The tournament at a glance
Twelve teams are split into three groups. The top two in each group and the two best third-placed teams reach the quarter-finals. Our summary, compiled from SGGP and Báo Văn Hóa:
| Group | Teams | Notable record |
|---|---|---|
| A | Thailand (hosts), Japan, Bahrain, Iraq | Japan 3 titles; Bahrain champions in 2006 |
| B | Vietnam, Lebanon, Iran, Afghanistan | Iran defending champions, chasing a 5th title |
| C | Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan | Oman champions in 2015; UAE 2 titles |
Vietnam's group fixtures, as listed by both outlets:
| Date | Time | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| 19 November 2026 | 17:00 | Lebanon |
| 21 November 2026 | 17:00 | Iran |
| 23 November 2026 | 17:00 | Afghanistan |
Neither source gives a time zone. All three games are in Phang Nga.
What it means for Vietnam
Because two third-placed teams also advance, Vietnam do not have to beat Iran to reach the last eight, but every group game counts, as Báo Văn Hóa points out. That puts weight on the Lebanon game on 19 November 2026 and the Afghanistan game on 23 November 2026, while the Iran match is a test against the side Báo Văn Hóa calls the group's biggest challenge.
What comes next
The squad continues training in Đà Nẵng before travelling to Thailand; neither source gives a departure date or a final registered list. Follow every Vietnam team on our Vietnam national team fixtures page.
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