Vietnam faces new test at FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026

Early on September 20, at the training ground of Công an Hà Nội, coach Kim Sang-sik stands in the middle of the pitch, eyes fixed on the moving figures. The air still carries the smell of sweat and artificial grass, but the atmosphere is heavier than ever. This is not an ideal training session like in previous cycles. The five CAHN players who just returned from continental competitions, carrying fatigue and unhealed bruises from fierce arenas, will only have about five or six days in camp before heading to Indonesia. Coach Kim has two weeks to work, but in reality, the actual time available is shortened to almost nothing. This is a compressed transfer window, where the integration of players who have never played together in a full international match is happening with minimal time.