Vietnam's women's futsal team will play two friendlies against New Zealand in Ho Chi Minh City on 12 and 14 November, according to a plan announced by the VFF on 28 October. The games are part of the team's second training phase of 2026, which is aimed at the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG 6).
Camp and venue
The squad gathers on 1 November at the futsal club of the Chanh Hung ward public services centre in Ho Chi Minh City and will train until 12 December, working on fitness, technique and tactical plans, the VFF said. Both games are set for the Thai Son Nam arena in District 8, which Tuoi Tre describes as the Chanh Hung ward services centre arena, the venue's current name.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 26 October | OCA announces new AIMAG 6 dates |
| 1 November | Vietnam squad gathers in Ho Chi Minh City |
| 7 November | New Zealand expected to arrive in Vietnam |
| 12 November | First friendly |
| 14 November | Second friendly |
| 12 December | Training phase ends |
| 28 March to 8 April 2027 | AIMAG 6 in Saudi Arabia |
The opponent
New Zealand, known as the Futsal Ferns, plan to bring 14 players, three of whom play abroad, according to the VFF. The home-based players will spend two days together in Auckland before flying out and then join the overseas group. The trip will be the first time since April that the national team has been fully assembled.
In 2025 the New Zealand side played at the World Cup and faced a number of top opponents, and a tour of China in April also brought positive results, the VFF and Bongdaplus reported. During 2026 the team has held several regional training camps to widen its player pool. Tuoi Tre puts New Zealand 29th in the world rankings, with Vietnam 11th.
Plans unchanged despite the delay
The Olympic Council of Asia announced on 26 October that AIMAG 6 would move to 28 March to 8 April 2027 in Saudi Arabia instead of the end of 2026, Tuoi Tre reported, with Bongda24h naming Riyadh as the host city. The women's team is sticking to its preparation schedule regardless. Coach Nguyen Dinh Hoang and his staff will use the New Zealand games to assess their preparation, review the squad, test how the team's style works in real matches and adjust personnel and tactics for the next phase.
The men's futsal team is also keeping its plans, according to Tuoi Tre: it will play friendlies against Kyrgyzstan on 3 and 5 November and against Russia on 8 and 10 November.
What comes next
The next step is the 1 November gathering in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by the two New Zealand friendlies on 12 and 14 November. Upcoming games for Vietnam's national teams are listed on the Vietnam national team fixtures page.