Bangladesh will begin their 2026 campaign as they face upper ranked Vietnam in the lone FIFA international friendly match scheduled to be held at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam on Thursday.
The match will kick off at 6 pm (BST).
Bangladesh is going to play a friendly match against Vietnam as part of preparation ahead of their final AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on March 31.
Bangladesh has already been eliminated from the AFC Asian Cup qualification race, collecting five points, including a notable win over India at home.
Bangladesh will be boosted by the presence of Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury and Canada-based midfielder Shamit Shome ahead of their stern test against Vietnam and Singapore matches.
Addressing a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera said, "Our main objective is to prepare for the upcoming official match against Singapore.
Facing Vietnam is very important for us, as they are one of the strongest teams in Southeast Asia. Playing against them will help build our confidence."
With the presence of Xufn Son, along with another Brazilian-origin player in the squad (Ho…ng Hˆn), Vietnam have a very strong lineup. We hope Bangladesh will be able to face Vietnam's strongest possible team, he added.
The coach said Hamza arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday afternoon. He is doing well, but needs time to adjust to the weather and time zone. We'll assess and consider his availability for the match.
Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan said it would be a difficult match, but he thinks his side is improving and they have the ability to compete with Vietnam.
Kim Sang Sik, the head coach of Vietnam, said,"It's been a while since the whole team last gathered.
I'm really looking forward to the contribution of the new players, including Ho…ng Hˆn. The Vietnam national team is preparing well to bring joy to the fans."
The coach said, "Bangladesh have changed a lot compared to last year, from the coaching staff to the squad, especially with the addition of players competing abroad. Some of them previously faced Vietnam U-23 in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers. I believe their current squad is much stronger than before."
Kim Sang Sik said, "I am aware of Hamza. He is playing in England. Together with my players, we are analyzing videos of him to find ways to deal with his strengths. Our target is to win the match."
Vietnam captain Do Duy Manh said, "We'll stay focused, play with discipline, and follow the instructions of the coaching staff. Even though it's a friendly match, we'll aim for victory as it also affects our FIFA ranking."
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
