Vietnam to play friendly match against India on FIFA Days

Coach Kim has increased the youthfulness for the squad by summoning a number of U23 players to the team.

The VFF said the Lebanese Football Federation sent a letter of apology to announce their withdrawal from the international friendly tournament coinciding with the FIFA Days in October 2024. The tournament will be hosted at Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dinh Province in northern Vietnam.

Initially, Vietnam were set to face India on Oct. 9 and Lebanon on Oct. 15, while the Indian and Lebanese teams were scheduled to meet on Oct. 12. All matches were to be counted according to FIFA rankings.

With Lebanon's withdrawal, Vietnam risk only playing one match on the FIFA Days, potentially impacting their preparation for the ASEAN Cup at the end of the year.

There are only two FIFA Days left in October and November for coach Kim to test his squad and tactics. Since replacing Philippe Troussier in June 2024, the Korean coach has struggled to make a significant impact, with the team losing their last three matches against Iraq, Russia and Thailand.

Currently, the VFF has no plans to find a replacement opponent for the Vietnamese team. Inviting another national team for a friendly match is challenging at this time, as many have already scheduled their fixtures. Vietnam may end up playing two matches against India, who will also be one match down due to Lebanon's withdrawal.