Vietnam will play Malaysia for third place in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.

After 3 matches, the Vietnamese team earned 6 points. Nguyen Dinh Bac and his teammates defeated the Philippines 1-0, lost to Thailand 0-2, and then won 4-2 against Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Malaysia lost their place in the final just two minutes after celebrating a 6-0 victory against Singapore . Indonesia scored two goals in the final two minutes of added time to beat Bangladesh 9-2, just enough to overtake Malaysia on goal difference (both teams had 7 points).

The Vietnamese national team will face Malaysia three times in 2026. In the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, coach Kim Sang-sik's team won 3-1 at home at Thien Truong Stadium (Ninh Binh). In the two semi-final matches of the ASEAN Cup, the Vietnamese team continued their winning streak against Malaysia with the same score of 2-0 both at home and away.

Compared to the last encounter between the two teams, both the Vietnamese and Malaysian national teams have undergone significant changes. Their opponents have brought their strongest squad to the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, featuring a full complement of stars, including newly naturalized players who have been granted permission to play by the International Football Federation (FIFA).

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese team has made many changes to their lineup across all three lines. Coach Kim Sang-sik is also without his key striker Nguyen Xuan Son due to an injury sustained in the match against the Philippines.