U19 Southeast Asia Championship 2026 Schedule: Vietnam Faces Timor-Leste

The Vietnam U19 national football team is set to kick off their campaign in the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship with a match against Timor-Leste on June 1st. This opening fixture in Group A is scheduled for 4 PM local time, followed by a match between hosts Indonesia and Myanmar at 8 PM. All matches will be broadcast live on the TV360 network.

Timor-Leste is considered the weakest opponent in Group A. Despite recent developments in their youth football, a considerable gap remains between the two nations' footballing capabilities. The Vietnamese team is heavily favored to secure a decisive victory in their debut match.

Historical head-to-head records strongly favor Vietnam. In their last four meetings, the Vietnamese U19 team has consistently defeated Timor-Leste, with scores of 4-0, 4-1, 2-1, and 2-0. Beyond aiming for three points, Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's squad will also be focused on scoring multiple goals to achieve a favorable goal difference, which could be crucial for advancing to the next stage.

Meanwhile, host nation Indonesia faces a more challenging opponent in Myanmar. However, leveraging their skill level and home-field advantage, the Indonesian team is expected to secure three points in their opening game. The 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship runs from June 1st to June 14th, involving 11 teams. Group A includes Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and Myanmar. Group B consists of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, while Group C features Australia, Cambodia, and the Philippines. The tournament format involves a single round-robin within each group, with the top team from each group and the best second-placed team progressing to the semifinals.