Title holders Vietnam will kick off the defence of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ on July 24 when Kim Sang-sik and his team face off against playoff winners Brunei or Timor-Leste in the opening round of fixtures.
Drawn to also face four-times winners Singapore, six-times runners-up Indonesia and Cambodia, ASEAN United FC takes a look at the nations that will go head-to-head in Group A.
VIETNAM
Coach: Kim Sang-sik
Best performance: Winners (2008, 2018, 2024)
Vietnam go into the 2026 Hyundai Cup™ little changed from the side that won the title for the third time with victory over Thailand in 2024.
Coach Kim Sang-sik, who took over as the long-term replacement for Philippe Troussier in May 2024, remains in place and he continues to oversee a squad that boasts the talents of playmaker and captain Nguyễn Quang Hải.
The goals of striker Nguyễn Xuân Son fired Vietnam to the title in 2024 and the Brazil-born forward has recently returned to form for Nam Định FC in the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ following his recovery from a broken leg sustained in the final against Thailand.
SINGAPORE
Coach: Gavin Lee
Best performance: Winners (1998, 2004, 2007, 2012)
Singapore return to the Hyundai Cup™ on the crest of a wave after the nation secured qualification for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in November with victory over Hong Kong confirming the progress to the finals in Saudi Arabia next year.
That achievement has given coach Gavin Lee and his team the belief that they can also return to the summit of ASEAN football with the country attempting to win the title for the first time since 2012.
INDONESIA
Coach: John Herdman
Best performance: Runners-up (2000, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2016, 2020)
Indonesia go into the 2026 Hyundai Cup™ under new management following the arrival of Englishman John Herdman as the replacement for Patrick Kluivert, and the 50-year-old will be tasked with finally delivering the country’s first regional title.
Southeast Asia’s most populous nation have been the competition’s nearly men on numerous occasions with six runners-up finishes but, with Indonesia climbing the FIFA rankings over the last two years, confidence will be increasing that 2026 can finally be their year.
CAMBODIA
Coach: Koji Gyotoku
Best performance: Group Stage
Cambodia return to the Hyundai Cup™ looking to build on solid performances in the two previous editions of the competition, when the Angkor Warriors have finished in fourth place in the group standings.
Koji Gyotoku led the team at the 2024 edition and remains in place as he attempts to build on the country’s performance, which saw the Japanese coach steer his team to a 2-1 win over Timor-Leste and a draw with former champions Malaysia.
BRUNEI
Coach: Fabio Maciel
Best performance: Group Stage
Brunei will go into their playoff with Timor-Leste in June attempting to secure a place in the group phase of Hyundai Cup™ 2026 for the third time after previous appearances in 1996 and 2022.
TIMOR-LESTE
Coach: Zé Pedro
Best performance: Group stage
Timor-Leste face off with Brunei in the 2026 Hyundai Cup™ playoff attempting to build on their performances in the competition in recent years, which have seen the nation feature in the group phase in three of the last four tournaments.
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