The 2030 World Cup Asian Qualifiers Draw: Vietnam, Pot 2 and the Matches That Have Not Yet Happened

December 15, 2026. I remember this date not because it will be printed in bold on the Asian Football Confederation's calendar, but because of the way it slipped into everyday conversations in Da Nang, where I was staying after a long assignment. That afternoon, the year-end rain drummed on the tin roof of a small coffee shop by the Han River. Inside, a group of students sat around a wooden table, a phone placed in the middle, and on the screen was a line of news: the draw for the 2030 World Cup Asian qualifiers would take place on December 15, 2026. A young woman told her friends that Vietnam would avoid Thailand, and the whole group nodded as if this were a foregone conclusion. I sat quietly, stirring my cold coffee, and thought about something quite different. A draw does not decide the fate of a football nation. It merely lifts a curtain so that we can see more clearly what has been prepared years in advance, or what has never been prepared at all.

When I stand in the middle of an empty stadium, I hear the echo of matches that have never been played. That is the feeling I have carried through twenty-eight years in this profession, ever since my first days in the newsroom of a football newspaper in Hanoi. And now, looking at the projected pot allocation for the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, I hear that echo more clearly than ever. Because behind the ranking numbers, behind Vietnam's 99th place in the world, lies a much longer story about how we have built and are building our football.

The December 15, 2026 Milestone and the Context of a New Cycle

According to information from the Asian Football Confederation, the draw for the 2030 World Cup Asian qualifiers is expected to be held on December 15, 2026. This is an important milestone for national teams to identify their opponents on the road to the biggest football festival on the planet four years from now. It should be noted that the 2030 World Cup is a special edition, co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with some matches held in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the centenary of the first football festival. The tournament expands to 48 teams, which means the number of slots for Asia will increase significantly compared to previous cycles. It is precisely this expansion that has created a different atmosphere in the region's football scene.

Based on the October 2026 FIFA rankings, Vietnam sits 99th in the world and 17th in Asia. This position allows coach Kim Sang Sik's side to enter the second round directly and likely to be placed in Pot 2. Notably, Thailand is also in this pot thanks to its 93rd world ranking. This means the two Southeast Asian representatives will avoid each other in the group stage if the seeding method remains unchanged.

However, the Golden Star Warriors could face regional opponents such as Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines, teams forecast to be in Pot 3. A greater challenge comes from Pot 1, which brings together the continent's top teams including Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Under the format of the second round of the 2030 World Cup Asian qualifiers, 36 teams are divided into nine groups, playing a double round-robin. The top two teams in each group earn a place in the third round. For Vietnam, the key objective is to improve or maintain its ranking within the FIFA top 100, raise the quality of the squad and prepare as well as possible for the 2030 World Cup campaign.

Those are the basic facts. But if we stop there, we will miss the most interesting part of the story. For a draw is never just about the balls. It is the moment when every prediction, every ambition, every anxiety is placed on the scales at once. And in that moment, people often forget that what determines success or failure is not where the ball falls, but how ready the team is before that ball is drawn.

I have covered many draws in my career. From World Cup draws in Zurich, where I sat in the press row and watched the tense faces of coaches, to smaller regional draws. Each time, I always had the feeling that we were witnessing a collective ritual rather than an administrative event. Because behind each ball lies an entire nation holding its breath, hoping, calculating.

Why 99th Place in the FIFA Ranking Matters So Much

There is one thing many fans do not realize: the FIFA ranking is not just a table of achievements to show off. It is a strategic planning tool. A team's position in that ranking determines which pot they are placed in, who they face, and that can make the difference between a smooth journey and a thorny one.

When Vietnam sits at 99th in the world and 17th in Asia in October 2026, it is the result of a process of accumulating points over many official matches. What is worth noting is that this position takes the team directly into the second round without needing to play the first round, which is reserved for lower-ranked teams in the region. For a football nation like Vietnam, skipping a round not only saves time and effort, but also minimizes the risk of injury and preserves valuable preparation time.

But the crux lies in Pot 2. If the ranking position remains as projected, Vietnam will be in the second pot, meaning it will not face Thailand in the group stage, and will also have the chance to avoid some other strong opponents in the same pot. This is an important tactical advantage, because in the second round with nine groups and 36 teams, landing in a favorable group can decide the chance of advancing.

I recall the years of following Southeast Asian teams in World Cup qualifiers. There were cycles when Vietnam landed in a group with Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia, and the dream of advancing was almost extinguished from the first days. There were also cycles when the draw proved more merciful, and the opportunity opened up. But what I have learned over the years is this: football does not favor those who merely wait for luck. It favors those who have prepared enough to turn luck into results.

The most important thing Pot 2 brings is not avoiding Thailand, but the fact that it reflects a reality that Vietnam has maintained a relatively stable position in the Asian region over many years.

But we need to look squarely at the nature of the number 99. It is much better than the years when Vietnam languished outside the top 120. But it is still far from the group of the continent's strongest teams, those occupying the top of the ranking and automatically placed in Pot 1. That gap is not an insurmountable chasm, but neither is it a gap that can be erased with a few wins.

Nine Groups, Thirty-Six Teams and Half-Open Doors

Let us talk about the format in detail, because this is the part many people skim over but which contains important information about opportunities and risks.

The second round of the 2030 World Cup Asian qualifiers brings together 36 teams, divided into nine groups of four. The teams play a double round-robin, meaning each team plays six matches, three at home and three away. The top two teams in each group earn a place in the third round, meaning eighteen teams advance in total. This is a significant number, and it opens up a greater opportunity for mid-tier teams like Vietnam compared to the stricter formats of the past.

With this format, being in Pot 2 brings a clear advantage: Vietnam will avoid opponents in the same pot, including Thailand. But at the same time, the team will have to face one team from Pot 1, one from Pot 3 and one from Pot 4. It is precisely how the balls combine that will create the overall picture of the team's chances.

Pot 1 is where the continent's top teams gather. Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia and Saudi Arabia are the most prominent names. These are all teams that have appeared at multiple World Cups, boasting squads full of players competing in Europe and possessing solid professional football foundations. Facing any of them is a great challenge, but with two qualifying spots per group, taking points from one of the continent's strongest teams is entirely possible if the team prepares well.

Pot 3, according to forecasts, will include teams such as Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines. These are familiar opponents of Vietnamese football in Southeast Asia. Matches against them always carry a special character, because beyond the professional factor, there is also the psychological factor and regional identity. Facing these opponents in World Cup qualifiers will bring a different pressure than regional tournaments, because this is a globalized arena where every mistake is severely punished.

Pot 4 usually includes smaller teams in the region, teams with little experience on the big stage. But in modern football, the gap between pots is narrowing, and underestimating a lower-pot opponent is a mistake many teams have paid for.

It should be added that seeding based on the FIFA ranking is only a projection. The actual seeding method may change depending on the number of participating teams and the decisions of the Asian Football Confederation. But however the seeding changes, the basic principle remains: the higher the ranking, the easier the opponents on paper.

From Pots to Reality on the Pitch

Now, I want to tell a story that perhaps many Vietnamese fans have never heard. It is the story of how I learned that a draw is only worth what a team makes of it.

Summer of Empty Stadiums. That is the name I gave to a series of articles during the period when the pandemic forced football to pause. Back then, I and a group of young reporters organized livestreams capturing the atmosphere of empty stadiums, closed football cafes, and conversations with veteran fans from all over the country. On one such occasion, I asked a motorbike taxi driver in Thu Duc about the 2026 SEA Games final. He burst into tears. He cried not because his team lost or won, but because he missed the fervent atmosphere of a time when the whole country lived together through every pass.

That memory taught me one thing: football is not just about the players. It is about millions of people, about generations succeeding one another, about aspirations that have not yet found their voice. And when we talk about the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, we are talking about a new chapter in that long story.

I have spent many years following youth development systems in both Vietnam and China, two football environments I know intimately. And what I have realized is this: the countries that succeed in building a stable national team are not those that focus only on the first team. They are those that have built a continuous, persistent youth development system capable of producing successive generations of players without interruption.

Looking at the current Vietnam national team, I see traces of many different generations of players. These are players who grew up from academies, from youth tournaments, and from development programs I have had the chance to follow for many years. When I watch recordings of the team's matches, I always pay attention to how they move, how they combine, how they react in difficult situations. These details do not appear on the scoreboard, but they tell me about the development process behind each player.

Young People Are the Protagonists, Stars Are Only the Backdrop

Throughout my career, I have always tried to place anonymous people at the center of the story. Because I believe they are the true source of this sport. When talking about the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, we may get excited about big names, stars playing abroad, famous coaches. But beneath those names lies a deeper geological layer: young players training on small pitches, coaches diligently passing on the craft at training centers, parents driving their children to football classes every weekend afternoon.

When I stand in the middle of an empty stadium, I hear the echo of matches that have never been played. It could be the match of a young player who abandoned a dream for lack of opportunity. It could be the match of a national team that could not get through qualifying for lack of a little luck. It could also be the match we will witness in the future, when the current young generation steps into the light.

In recent years, I have had the chance to follow many youth tournaments in Southeast Asia. I saw players of seventeen, eighteen years old with bright eyes and feet full of ambition. They are not famous. They do not have many fans. But they are the ones who will form the national team of the future. And how we treat them today will decide the face of Vietnamese football in ten years.

A football nation cannot be built on isolated stars. It must be built on a system capable of producing successive generations of players at a steady pace.

This is especially true in the context of the 2030 World Cup expanding to 48 teams, with Asia having more qualifying slots. The opportunity is great, but that opportunity is only worth something if we have enough squad depth to seize it. A team with only eleven good players cannot go far. A team with a squad of twenty or thirty players of comparable quality can stand firm through a long qualifying campaign.

Pot 1 and the Tactical Challenge

Let us talk about the potential opponents from Pot 1, because this is where the greatest challenges are concentrated.

Japan is one of the strongest teams in Asia and has established its place on the world stage. Its playing style is based on refined individual technique, smooth group combination, and a youth development system built methodically over decades. Players like Takefusa Kubo and other stars competing in top European leagues are proof of the strength of Japanese football. Facing Japan in qualifying is always a comprehensive test, not only of skill but also of character.

South Korea is another team with a long World Cup history. With players like Son Heung-min, they have proven that Asian football can compete on equal terms with the world's top teams. South Korea's style is often based on high intensity, continuous pressing, and a never-say-die fighting spirit. Facing them requires a solid physical foundation and a sound strategy.

Iran is a typical representative of West Asian football, with a physical style and solid defensive ability. Australia, after joining the Asian region, has become a formidable force with a powerful style and international experience. Saudi Arabia is a team with a World Cup tradition, with technical players and a domestic football scene that is heavily invested in.

Facing any of these, Vietnam will face different tactical challenges. But the important thing is that in a format with two qualifying spots per group, the team does not necessarily have to beat the strongest team to advance. What the team needs is to take maximum points against same-pot opponents and make good use of the home advantage.

Pot 3 and the Regional Derbies

Now, let us talk about the potential opponents from Pot 3, where Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are forecast to feature.

Matches between Vietnam and Indonesia always carry a special nuance. They are matches of rivalry, of happy and sad memories, of encounters whose results affect not only the points but also the self-esteem of both football nations. In recent years, Indonesia has made significant progress in youth development and has attracted several players of Indonesian descent playing in Europe. This makes them an increasingly difficult opponent.

Malaysia is another team Vietnam frequently meets in the region. Malaysian football has had periods of prosperity and periods of decline, but they are always an opponent Vietnam cannot take lightly. Matches between the two teams are often played at high intensity and are not without controversial situations.

The Philippines, with its use of many players of Filipino descent playing abroad, has become a team whose squad quality has been significantly raised. They are an example showing that in modern football, a team can change its appearance quickly if it knows how to tap into resources from the fan community abroad.

Matches against Southeast Asian opponents in World Cup qualifiers have a particular characteristic: they carry the character of a psychological battle more than a purely professional contest. Because the two teams know each other too well, because the pressure from fans on both sides is enormous, and because beating a regional opponent always brings a special satisfaction. In such matches, character and emotional control are sometimes no less important than professional talent.

Pot 4 and the Unexpected Traps

Pot 4 is usually where smaller teams in the region gather, teams with little experience on the big stage. But in modern football, underestimating a lower-pot opponent is a mistake many teams have paid for.

I have witnessed many cases where a team rated higher was held to a draw or even beaten by a smaller team on home soil. Such matches often occur in the context of the stronger team being complacent, the weaker team being determined, and the element of surprise becoming an effective weapon. In a long qualifying campaign with many matches, dropping points against a weaker opponent can be the reason a team pays a heavy price at the end of the campaign.

So, for Vietnam, the important thing is not only to prepare for the big matches but also to maintain focus and respect for opponents in every match, regardless of whether that opponent is rated high or low.

The Historical Journey and Lessons from Previous Cycles

To understand more clearly Vietnam's chances in the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, we need to look back at the historical journey of Vietnamese football in previous qualifying cycles.

I have had the chance to follow many World Cup qualifying cycles of the Vietnam national team. There were cycles when the team came close to the big dream, and there were cycles when the team stopped earlier than expected. Each cycle left its own lessons, and those lessons have helped shape the current team.

What I have observed is that Vietnamese football has made remarkable strides over the past two decades. From a still-young football nation, we have built a relatively complete domestic league system, a number of quality youth academies, and a national team that has established its position in Southeast Asia as well as Asia.

But we also need to look squarely at the limitations. There is still a significant gap between Vietnamese football and the continent's leading football nations. That gap shows in many aspects: infrastructure, youth training quality, international match experience, and even tactical thinking.

In recent years, I have had the chance to observe the development of youth football in many countries in the region. And what I have realized is this: the countries making the strongest progress are not those that spend the most, but those with a clear development philosophy and the persistence to pursue it over many years.

Youth football is not a short-term project. It is a long-term commitment, requiring patience and a vision extending far beyond a single World Cup cycle.

The Russia Shock and the Lesson of Preparation

At 36, I cried in Moscow. Not because of the team, but because I saw an entire young generation pour over the barriers to touch a dream.

That is the memory I carry from the 2026 World Cup, when I was one of the first Vietnamese reporters granted independent accreditation in Moscow. During the match between Egypt and Uruguay, I was assigned the role of field commentator for a sports radio station and mispronounced Mohamed Salah's name several times in the first half. It was a memorable lesson in preparation. I sat in the hotel, rewinding and rewatching the match footage along with the player list, and practiced the pronunciation late into the night.

The Russia shock taught me that in football, preparation is the decisive factor. There is no room for complacency. There is no room for mispronouncing a player's name or misjudging an opponent. Every detail, however small, can make a difference.

That lesson applies directly to the story of the 2030 World Cup qualifiers. If Vietnam wants to make good use of its opportunity, the team needs to prepare thoroughly and comprehensively. This includes carefully studying potential opponents, building a squad with depth, and creating a playing environment where every player can perform at their best.

I also recall the article I wrote after that match, telling the story of the dedication of the Egyptian fans and how they kept singing even as their team lost. The article spread widely in the overseas Vietnamese community, and it showed me that the story of the fans, of those standing outside the pitch, is no less important than the story of the players.

Fans and the Map of Memory

Fans do not need us to show them the way to the stadium. They need a map for excavating memory to understand why they still stand there through every rise and fall.

Throughout my career, I have always tried to bring the voice of the fans into every article. Because I believe football cannot exist without fans. The songs in the stands, the banners, the tears after every win or loss, all are part of this sport.

When talking about the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, we cannot talk only about players and coaches. We must also talk about the fans who will stand in the stands, who will sing, who will hope, and who will suffer or burst with emotion alongside the team. They are the ones who create the soul of each match.

I have had the chance to follow supporters' groups in many different stadiums. From the fiery stands of stadiums in Vietnam to the quieter stands abroad, I have always found common ground: passion, loyalty, and an unconditional love for one's team.

On one assignment at the stadium of a Guangdong club, I stood in the stand area where the supporters' group gathered and observed how they sang for ninety minutes without stopping. It was an experience I will never forget, and it influenced how I wrote about football from then on. I began adding a fan-voice section to every article, directly quoting songs, banners, and the emotions of supporters' groups.

The Contrarian Angle: The Obsession with Ranking and Its Cost

At this point, I want to offer a perspective that may make some fans uncomfortable. But I believe it needs to be said, because honesty is the foundation of any valuable analysis.

There is an obsession with ranking in Vietnamese football circles, and that obsession sometimes obscures more important issues. We celebrate when the team enters the top 100, we worry when it slips, and we follow every friendly match hoping to gain more points. But does ranking really reflect the quality of a football nation?

The answer is: yes, but only to a certain extent. Ranking reflects the results of official matches, and the results of official matches reflect the quality of the team at that moment. But ranking cannot reflect the depth of a football nation, the quality of its youth development system, or its potential for future growth.

A country can have a highly ranked national team thanks to an exceptionally talented generation of players, but without a solid youth development system, that ranking will not be sustainable. Conversely, a country can have a modestly ranked national team but possess a strong youth development system, and in the long run, they will rise.

Pursuing ranking blindly can lead to short-term decisions that harm long-term development, such as calling up too many older players to secure immediate results instead of giving opportunities to talented young players.

I have witnessed this happen in many football nations. Countries focused on short-term results often have brief periods of prosperity, followed by prolonged periods of decline when their golden generation passes. Countries that invest in long-term development often make slower but more sustainable progress.

For Vietnam, the objective of improving or maintaining a top 100 FIFA ranking is a reasonable one. But that objective needs to be placed in a broader context: building a football nation capable of sustainable competition at continental and world level.

This means we need to invest in infrastructure, in youth development, in developing qualified coaches, and in creating an environment where young talents can develop at their best. These investments will not yield immediate results, but they will form the foundation for future success.

Gegenpressing and the Question of Tactical Identity

Another aspect I want to address is the question of Vietnamese football's tactical identity.

In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of gegenpressing, a style of football based on continuous pressing and quickly winning the ball back after losing it. This style has brought success to many big European clubs and has been adopted by many Asian teams.

However, I believe gegenpressing has been partly decoded. Mid-tier teams have learned to counter it by using physicality to turn football into an athletics event, with long passes and continuous duels. This raises a question for Vietnamese football: what is our tactical identity?

I have spent much time studying different tactical schools and how they are applied in different football nations. And what I have realized is this: success does not come from copying a particular style, but from developing a style suited to the characteristics of each football nation.

Vietnamese football has its own characteristics: players with good technique, flexible movement, and a resilient fighting spirit. These characteristics can be the foundation for a distinctive tactical identity, one that copies no one but is built on what we have.

Preparing for the Second Round: What Needs to Be Done

Now, let us talk about what Vietnam needs to do to prepare as well as possible for the second round of the 2030 World Cup qualifiers.

First, the team needs to build a squad with depth. In a long qualifying campaign with six matches in the second round and possibly more in later rounds, relying too much on a few key players is a major risk. The team needs at least two players of comparable quality in each position, so it can rotate the squad without reducing its strength.

Second, the team needs to improve its ability to play away. In Asian football, taking points away from home is always a great challenge, due to having to face difficult factors such as weather, climate, pitch conditions, and pressure from the opposing crowd. The team needs to prepare mentally and physically for such matches.

Third, the team needs to make the most of the home advantage. Home matches are opportunities to take important points, and the team needs to turn home into a true fortress, where every opponent finds it difficult to visit.

Fourth, the team needs to build a clear and consistent playing style. In modern football, a successful team usually has a clearly defined tactical identity maintained over many matches. Constantly changing tactics can cause instability and make it hard for players to adapt.

Fifth, the team needs to prepare thoroughly in terms of information. Carefully studying potential opponents, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, and building specific countermeasures are essential in modern football.

These things may sound obvious, but in reality, implementing them fully requires thorough preparation and persistence in pursuing the objective.

The Role of Academies and Youth Development Systems

I want to devote part of this article to the role of academies and youth development systems, because this is the field I care about most throughout my career.

Over many years, I have had the chance to visit and follow the activities of many football academies in both Vietnam and China. And what I have realized is this: the quality of an academy is measured not only by its facilities or the number of players, but also by the quality of its coaching staff and the development philosophy it pursues.

The most successful academies I have known are those with a clear development philosophy, communicated consistently from the youngest level to the highest level, and maintained across generations of coaches. They do not chase passing trends but persist in an approach built on core values.

A player who grows up in a good academy is not only skilled professionally but also possesses tactical thinking, adaptability, and a solid foundation of character.

In Vietnam, we have made significant progress in building youth academies. Some academies have begun producing quality players for the national team. But we still have a long way to go to achieve a complete and effective youth development system.

One of the biggest challenges is creating a clear pathway for young players, from academy level to professional level. Many talented young players are lost in the transition between levels, and this wastes valuable potential.

Another challenge is attracting and retaining qualified coaches for youth development work. Youth development work is often not compensated adequately and does not receive the recognition it deserves. This causes many good coaches to avoid committing to this work.

Connecting Two Football Nations: Vietnam and China

As someone who has lived and worked in both Vietnam and China, I have had the opportunity to observe the development of these two football nations and understand the intersections between them.

Vietnamese football and Chinese football have different characteristics but also interesting similarities. Both are in the process of development and both face challenges in building a sustainable professional football system.

China has invested heavily in football in recent years, from building infrastructure to inviting famous coaches and players from abroad. However, the success of the Chinese national team has not matched the level of investment, and this shows that success in football does not depend on money alone.

Vietnam, with more limited resources, has achieved significant results at the regional level. Those achievements come from a combination of factors: a talented generation of players, a suitable coach, and a strong collective spirit.

What I have learned from observing these two football nations is this: success in football does not come from copying the model of others, but from finding a path suited to one's own circumstances and resources. That is a lesson both Vietnam and China need to remember.

Looking to the Future: The 2030 World Cup and Beyond

The 2030 World Cup, with its 48-team scale and increased Asian slots, is a great opportunity for Vietnamese football. But that opportunity also comes with challenges.

More slots do not mean the door to the World Cup will open automatically. It only means the door is a little wider than before, and to step through it, the team still needs to have enough strength.

Moreover, competition in the Asian region is becoming increasingly fierce. Many countries are investing heavily in football, and countries once considered weak are making remarkable strides. In this context, standing still means falling behind.

For Vietnam, the immediate objective is to get through the second round and advance to the third round. That is an ambitious but not impossible objective, especially with the current format and a Pot 2 position.

But the long-term objective needs to be bigger. The long-term objective is to build a football nation capable of sustainable competition at continental level, with a solid youth development system, and capable of producing successive generations of players at a steady pace.

That is an objective requiring patience, a far-sighted vision, and a strong commitment from all parties involved: football administrators, coaches, players, and fans alike.

Summer of Empty Stadiums and the Echo of the Future

Summer of Empty Stadiums. I still often think about that period, when football had to pause and stadiums became empty. It was a time when we were forced to look back and ask ourselves: what does football mean to us?

To me, football is not just a sport. It is part of identity, of collective memory, of shared aspirations. Wherever I go in the world, I always find people talking about football, arguing about football, living with football.

And when I think about the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, I think about all those people. I think about the fans who will stand in the stands, who will sing, who will hope. I think about the young players dreaming of one day wearing the national team shirt. I think about the coaches diligently passing on the craft at youth training centers.

When I stand in the middle of an empty stadium, I hear the echo of matches that have never been played. But I also hear the echo of matches that will be played, of dreams that will come true, of generations that will succeed one another.

Takeaway: A Judgment on Opportunity and Risk

So what is my judgment on Vietnam's chances in the 2030 World Cup qualifiers?

First, I believe being in Pot 2 is an important advantage. It helps the team avoid some strong opponents in the group stage and opens up the chance to advance. I assess Vietnam's chances of getting through the second round as fairly high, provided the team prepares well and makes good use of the home advantage.

However, I also see some risks. First, facing Southeast Asian opponents such as Indonesia, Malaysia or the Philippines always carries psychological and professional risks. These matches are often played at high intensity and can produce surprises.

Second, facing a team from Pot 1 is always a great challenge. Even if the team does not need to win to advance, taking points from these teams requires an excellent performance.

Third, squad depth is a key factor. If the team does not have enough quality players to rotate the squad through a long campaign, its chances of advancing will be affected.

In the long term, I believe the future of Vietnamese football depends on building a solid youth development system and a professional football scene capable of competing. Short-term successes matter, but they only have meaning if they are built on a sustainable foundation.

The question I want to leave with readers is this: do we have enough patience and vision to invest in the things that will yield results in ten years, rather than focusing only on immediate results?

Because when I stand in the middle of an empty stadium, I do not only hear the echo of matches that have never been played. I also hear the echo of the choices we are making today, choices that will shape the face of Vietnamese football for many years to come. And in those echoes, I hear both hope and the things we need to do better.

Fans do not need us to show them the way to the stadium. They need a map for excavating memory to understand why they still stand there through every rise and fall. And perhaps, our task, those of us who write about football, is not to predict the outcome of the balls, but to help fans understand what is really happening behind each match, each decision, each choice.

The 2030 World Cup qualifiers begin on December 15, 2026, when the balls are drawn. But the real journey began years earlier, in the training sessions of young players, in the decisions of administrators, in the dreams of millions of fans. And that journey will continue, whatever the outcome of the balls.

I will be there, in some corner of the stands, taking notes, observing, and listening. Because that is my job, and also my passion. And because, as I have learned over many years in this profession, the true story of football lies not in the balls, but in the people and moments those balls bring.

When I stand in the middle of an empty stadium, I hear the echo of matches that have never been played. And in those echoes, I find a reason to keep believing in the future of Vietnamese football, not because the balls may fall in a favorable position, but because of the people working day and night to turn dreams into reality.