Vietnam Women's Football and the Historic Milestone at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2026

On 22 July 2026, at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, the Vietnam women's national team walked out at the biggest tournament in world women's football for the first time in history. Their opening Group E match was against the United States, the reigning champions. The game ended 0-3, but simply being there was a landmark moment for Vietnamese football. The ticket to the 2026 FIFA Women's World Cup came from reaching the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup in India. It was the first time the Vietnam women's team had qualified for a World Cup. In Group E, the squad coached by Mai Duc Chung was drawn with the United States, the Netherlands and Portugal, all of them ranked considerably higher in the FIFA world rankings. Vietnam's second match took place on 27 July 2026 at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton. Vietnam lost 0-2 to Portugal, conceding in the 7th and 21st minutes. The final group game was played on 1 August 2026 at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, where the Netherlands won 7-0. Despite the results, Vietnam produced notable moments. Against the United States, goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh saved a penalty from striker Alex Morgan late in the first half, keeping the score at 0-1 until the break. Captain Huynh Nhu, who became the first Vietnamese woman to play professionally abroad when she joined Portuguese club Lank FC in 2026, led the side throughout the tournament. Vietnam finished bottom of Group E with 0 points, 0 goals scored and 12 conceded. Even so, the tournament gave the team direct experience against three of the strongest nations in the women's game. Earlier in the same year, on 15 May 2026, Vietnam won the women's football gold medal at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia after beating Myanmar 2-0 in the final. Winning the regional title and competing at the World Cup in the same year underlined the progress of the women's programme. Tactically, the gap in physicality and speed was clear. Vietnam defended in a deep block, struggled to keep possession under sustained pressure, and found the transition from defence to attack limited by the quality of the opposition. The three group matches therefore became a clear benchmark for the coaching staff. The 2026 World Cup remains the defining milestone for Vietnam women's football: a first appearance on the global stage, a first saved penalty at a World Cup, and a reference point for the development of the women's game at home.