Latest AFF Cup 2024 schedule: Vietnam and Thailand teams 'breathe easy'

The Southeast Asian Football Championship, known as the AFF Cup, is about to kick off, attracting the attention of many fans. The Vietnamese team, the current runner-up, has attracted attention when it has just called up naturalized player Nguyen Xuan Son from Nam Dinh Club, while coach Kim Sang-sik has set a goal of playing in the final match.

Vietnam team ready to conquer AFF Cup 2024

According to the previous AFF Cup draw results, the Vietnamese team is in Group B with Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Laos while Group A has defending champion Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Timor Leste.

The official match schedule of the AFF Cup has also been released. Accordingly, the Vietnamese team will play its opening match at 8pm on December 9, against Laos, the team rated the lowest in Group B. Group A will play one day earlier when Thailand meets the weakest team in the group, Timor Leste. If there are no big surprises, the Vietnamese team and the "war elephant" Thailand will win all 3 points on their opening match day.

Nguyen Xuan Son (middle) promises to shine in the Vietnamese national team jersey at

AFF Cup 2024

In the second round, the Vietnamese team will face the biggest challenge of Group A, Indonesia (8pm on December 15) while Thailand will face Malaysia (December 14). On December 18, the Vietnamese team will play the next match of Group B, against the Philippines away, while in this round, Thailand will face Singapore. In the final round of the group stage, the Vietnamese team will face Myanmar at 8pm on December 21.

The semi-finals of the AFF Cup are played in a home and away format. The first leg of the semi-final will take place at 8pm on December 26 between the second team in Group B and the first team in Group A (the second leg will take place at 8pm on December 29). The second leg of the semi-final will take place at 8pm on December 27 between the second team in Group A and the first team in Group B (the second leg will take place at 8pm on December 30). Similarly, the AFF Cup final between the two winning teams in the semi-final will also take place in the first leg (8pm on January 2, 2025) and the second leg (8pm on January 5).

The Vietnamese team has just returned home after a useful 10-day training trip in South Korea. “I see that the players’ skills are getting better and better, and the team’s tactics and techniques have also improved a lot. The Vietnamese players have a very strong passion for football as well as strong will and motivation. I am satisfied with that,” commented coach Kim Sang Sik, while setting a goal of taking the team to the final of the AFF Cup 2024.

Official match schedule of AFF Cup 2024:

AFF Cup 2024 schedule

GRAPHICS: LAM TAN NHUT

Asean Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 is broadcast live and in full on FPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn