Vietnam’s under-15s played twice on 26 October at the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan, losing 3-4 to Iran at midday and beating Guyana 2-1 in the evening, Vietnam time. With three wins and two defeats from five games, Hoàng Anh Tuấn’s team finished third in Group R and qualified for Tier C of the next stage, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) said.
Iran: a comeback that fell one kick short
The fourth group game kicked off at 12:00 Vietnam time. Iran led inside two minutes through a long-range shot from Norouzi, which goalkeeper Vũ Nhật Minh failed to hold, according to Tuổi Trẻ. Vũ Tiến Tài Lộc headed Vietnam level at 1-1 in the 13th minute, but Ahmadloo then scored three times in six minutes, between the 28th and 34th, to make it 4-1.
Vietnam kept pushing. Đỗ Quang Hưng scored from a free kick in the 36th minute, Bongda24h reported, citing Thể thao & Văn hóa, and added a second three minutes later after a move down the left to make it 3-4. In stoppage time (40+5, per Tuổi Trẻ) Vietnam won a penalty, but Nguyễn Xuân Vinh could not beat the Iran goalkeeper. The VFF called it a regrettable defeat.
Guyana: a win to close the group
The final group game started at 18:45 the same day. Vietnam took control early: Khắc Hiếu opened the scoring on four minutes and Phước An added a neat backheel three minutes later for 2-0. Jadan converted a penalty for Guyana in the 15th minute, but Vietnam held their lead under pressure for the rest of the match, according to the VFF and Bongda24h.
Five games in Group R
Compiled by KBVN+ from the VFF, Tuổi Trẻ and Bongda24h:
| Matchday | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 3-6 | Lost |
| 2 | Brunei | 6-0 | Won |
| 3 | Mauritius | 4-1 | Won |
| 4 | Iran | 3-4 | Lost |
| 5 | Guyana | 2-1 | Won |
That adds up to 18 goals scored and 12 conceded. Our report on the wins over Brunei and Mauritius: Vietnam U15 beat Brunei 6-0 and Mauritius 4-1 at the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival 2026.
This is the first tournament FIFA has staged for the under-15 age group. Tuổi Trẻ reported that it runs from 24 to 30 October with 189 teams split into 32 groups in the qualifying stage. Games last 40 minutes, two halves of 20 minutes, and are eight-a-side including the goalkeeper, on a pitch almost half the size of a standard 11-a-side field. No team is eliminated: after the qualifying stage, sides are placed in tiers according to their results and keep playing. Vietnam travelled with 14 players.
What’s next
As third in Group R, Vietnam stay in Azerbaijan to play in Tier C. According to the VFF, each tier is played in a bracket format to decide final rankings, and every team plays until the last day of the tournament, 30 October according to Tuổi Trẻ. For Vietnam’s young players that means more international matches after a group stage against opponents from Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, in line with the VFF’s stated aim of building experience and competitive maturity. Follow upcoming games on Vietnam national team fixtures or revisit Vietnam U15’s schedule at the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026.