When and where will the AFF Cup 2026 take place?

The AFF Cup 2026 will be held from July 24 to August 26, 2026. Here is everything you need to know about the competition with the Vietnam national team participating as the defending champions.

When is the AFF Cup 2026 taking place?

• Event dates:From July 24 to August 26, 2026

The AFF Cup is set to run from July 24 to August 26, 2026, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the tournament's founding. With increasingly professional organization, strong influence, and continually improving quality, the event promises to remain a major festival of Southeast Asian football.

A total of 10 Southeast Asian teams will participate, with 9 teams — Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam — divided into two groups in the final stage. The last spot will be decided through a qualifying playoff between Brunei and Timor Leste.

According to the group draw results, Vietnam's national team is placed in Group A alongside Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and the winner of the playoff match. Group B will feature Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Laos, and Myanmar.

Where will the AFF Cup 2026 be held?

• Location: 10 participating countries, single round-robin

The group stage of AFF Cup 2026 will follow a single round-robin format, home and away matches, with each team playing four games (two at home, two away) from July 24 to August 8. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals. The semifinals and finals will continue with a two-legged format, taking place from August 15 to August 26.

At the AFF Cup 2024, Vietnam triumphed by defeating Thailand with an aggregate score of 5-3 over two final matches, securing their third Southeast Asian championship title in history.