Cambodian fans exclaimed one thing upon being grouped with Vietnam's national team in the AFF Cup

Cambodian fans expressed varied opinions when drawn into Group A with Vietnam’s national team for the 2026 AFF Cup.

This afternoon (January 15), the group draw ceremony for the Southeast Asian Football Championship – AFF Cup took place in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital.. The event marked a special milestone celebrating 30 years since the inception and growth of the region’s biggest football tournament, starting from the first Tiger Cup held in 1996.

The draw placed Vietnam in Group A along with Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, and the winner of the playoff between Brunei Darussalam and Timor Leste. Group B consists of Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Laos.

Cambodian fans immediately voiced differing opinions about being in a tough group, which includes away matches against the defending champions Vietnam and Indonesia. Although some remain optimistic, most Cambodian supporters believe it will be very difficult to surprise Vietnam’s team.

One fan commented: "We seem to have a connection with Vietnam’s team again; we face them once more. But honestly, it’s too hard to cause an upset—they are just too strong." or "If Indonesia fields a full squad, they are as strong as Vietnam. As for Cambodia, I think this tournament will mainly serve as experience."

"Looking at the head-to-head history with Vietnam, we mostly lost and only had a few draws. I just hope Cambodia can at least win one match in the group stage. We need to upgrade our domestic league for the national team to improve." or "Having to play away against both Indonesia and Vietnam, we simply have no chance." - many Cambodian fans expressed pessimism about the AFF Cup 2026 draw results.

Over the 15 editions of the AFF Cup held, Thailand remains the most successful team with 7 titles, followed by Singapore (4), Vietnam (3), and Malaysia (1). Vietnam is the current champion, having defeated Thailand with an aggregate score of 5-3 over two legs in the 2024 ASEAN Cup final, affirming Vietnam’s top position in Southeast Asian football.