Vietnam's Under-17 team travelled to Nội Bài airport on the evening of November 5 to begin a training trip to the United Arab Emirates ahead of the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) reported. The squad's route then leads to Qatar for the finals.
The federation's pre-departure plan listed a flight at 00:35 Vietnam time on November 6 and an expected arrival in Dubai at 05:00 local time.
The UAE programme
The VFF's November 5 itinerary scheduled training at 16:00 on each day from November 6 to 8. A practice match against Fiji U17 was planned for 18:00 local time on November 9, followed by a transfer from Dubai to Doha on November 10. These are planned steps and remain subject to official updates.
In a separate VFF interview, coach Cristiano Roland explained that Fiji offered a chance to meet a team with similarities to group-stage opposition. Vietnam are in Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand and Mali. Roland said his team would approach the group one match at a time.
Building on preparations
Captain Đăng Khoa told the federation that the squad had trained in South Korea and then spent a week working in Vietnam. On November 4 they beat V.League 2 side Xuân Thiện Phú Thọ 2-1 in a practice match. He described the older, more experienced opposition as useful preparation for a higher playing intensity.
Roland said the players had grasped the staff's approach during seven weeks of preparation, while emphasising that the work was not finished. He highlighted speed, technique, quick decisions and movement without the ball as ways to respond to differences in physical size. Follow Vietnam national team fixtures for the next confirmed schedule.