Historically, the tournament has been dominated by traditional powerhouses from three specific regions. East Asia has claimed three titles, with Japan winning in 2016 and 2024, alongside South Korea’s victory in 2020.

Coach Kim Sang-sik (in black) and his players celebrate the gold medal after defeating Thailand 3-2 in the men's football final at the 33rd SEA Games at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec. 18, 2025.

West Asia has also seen success through Iraq in 2013 and Saudi Arabia in 2022, while Uzbekistan represents the strength of Central Asia with their championship win in 2018.

"Can Thailand and Vietnam do it?" an article on the AFC website asks. "No South Asian team qualified for Saudi Arabia 2026, but ASEAN is represented by Thailand and Vietnam, and all eyes will be on them to mount a serious challenge for Southeast Asia."

While Southeast Asian football has often been viewed as a step behind other regions, Vietnam and Thailand have never stopped trying. Both nations have qualified for six consecutive U23 Asian Cup tournaments, missing only the inaugural 2013 edition.

Vietnam holds the most impressive record in the region, famously reaching the 2018 final in Changzhou, where they fell 1-2 to Uzbekistan in extra time. They also secured quarter-final berths in both 2022 and 2024. Thailand’s best run came in 2020, when they reached the quarter-finals on home soil.

The two teams enter this tournament following a high-stakes encounter at the 33rd SEA Games. In a dramatic final, Vietnam made a stunning comeback to defeat Thailand 3-2 in extra time after trailing 0-2.

Coach Kim Sang-sik has benefited from stable preparation, retaining the core of his SEA Games gold-medal-winning squad for a training camp in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Thailand faces more challenges, as their preparation was hampered by limited training time and the absence of several key players whose clubs declined to release them for the tournament.

AFC also highlighted Vietnam's remarkable qualifying campaign. Despite scoring only four goals, the fewest among the group winners, Vietnam were one of only seven teams to maintain a perfect winning record, along with Jordan, Japan, Qatar, Iran, South Korea, and Syria.

"The teams facing Australia, Korea Republic and Vietnam can expect to be tested to the brim as all three booked their spots in the finals without conceding even once in the qualifiers," AFC added.

Vietnam are in Group A and will play Jordan on Tuesday, Kyrgyzstan on Jan. 9 and host Saudi Arabia on Jan. 12. In Group D, Thailand will play Australia on Jan. 8, Iraq on the 11th and China on the 14th.

The 2026 U23 Asian Cup consists of 16 teams divided into four groups. Teams play a round-robin format, with the top two teams of each group qualifying for the quarterfinals.

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