Record winners Thailand will launch their challenge for an eighth title at the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ when Anthony Hudson’s side travel to take on Laos on July 25 as the War Elephants attempt to move on from their loss in the 2024 final to Vietnam.
With the Thais also drawn to face 2010 winners Malaysia, 2024 semi-finalists the Philippines plus Myanmar and Laos, here are the nations that will go head-to-head in Group B of the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ which will be held from July 24 to August 26.
THAILAND
Coach: Anthony Hudson
Best performance: Winners (1996, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022)
Thailand possess an enviable record at Southeast Asian level having been crowned the region’s leading nation on seven previous occasions and will go into the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ as one of the favourites to lift the title.
The team is under new management after Anthony Hudson replaced Masatada Ishii in October with the Englishman winning his first two matches in charge as the country also attempts to seal qualification for next year’s AFC Asian Cup.
Led by the on-field talents of the mercurial Chanathip Songkrasin, a three-times winner of the ASEAN Championship’s Most Valuable Player award, the Thais possess the ability to dominate the competition once again.
MALAYSIA
Coach: Peter Cklamovski
Best performance: Winners (2010)
Malaysia have a mixed track record at the ASEAN Championship having reached the final of the inaugural event in Singapore in 1996 before going on to win their one and only title in 2010.
Coach Peter Cklamovski will be targeting a deep run into the competition after the country missed out on the semi-finals in 2024 although the absence through long-term injury of 2025 AFC Player of the Year nominee Arif Aiman will be a hurdle he must overcome.
PHILIPPINES
Coach: Carles Cuadrat
Best performance: Semi-finals (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2024)
The Philippines established themselves as perennial semi-finals at the ASEAN Championship throughout the 2010s but have so far been incapable of building on those performances to lift the regional title.
Carles Cuadrat has been charged with combining the talents of the country’s domestically based players with those plying their trade overseas – both in Asia and elsewhere – and he will be confident the draw has given him the chance to reach the last four once again.
MYANMAR
Coach: Myo Hlaing Win
Best performance: Semi-finals (2004, 2016)
Myanmar will go into the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ looking for a first appearance in the knockout rounds of the regional championship for the first time in a decade having last reached the semi-finals in 2016.
That was one of only two appearances in the last four of the competition for the country and coach Myo Hlaing Win will be looking for an improved performance after steering his team to fourth in their group in the 2024 edition.
LAOS
Coach: Vacant
Best performance: Group stage
Laos’ appearance at the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ will be the country’s 15th at the regional championship having failed to feature only once – in 2016 – at the Southeast Asian competition.
Despite their regular participation, Laos have been unable to advance to the knockout rounds of the competition and the nation will be looking to secure a first win since 2004, when they picked up a 2-1 win over Cambodia.
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