Bad news for coach Kim Sang Sik and his team: AFC issues urgent warning to Vietnam U23 in Group A of the Asian Championship.

The AFC website has just published some strong assessments of the strength of the Jordan U23 team – a direct competitor for a place in the next round of Group A at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.

The excitement surrounding the 2026 AFC U23 Championship is building daily as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) continuously publishes analytical articles about the strong contenders. Among them, U23 Jordan has emerged as a formidable challenge, a "red flag" for U23 Vietnam just before the continent's biggest football tournament for young players.

Jordan: A formidable "scoring machine" in the qualifiers.

According to the AFC's assessment, the Jordan U23 team enters this year's tournament with high confidence. Looking at the West Asian representative's record in the qualifying round, any opponent should be wary. They easily dominated their group with three consecutive wins, scoring 19 goals and conceding only one.

This formidable attacking performance demonstrates that Jordan is not only physically strong but also possesses an incredibly cohesive playing style under the guidance of Moroccan strategist Omar Najhi. Coach Najhi's goal is nothing less than to erase the painful memory of their early elimination at Qatar 2024 and to replicate, or even surpass, their feat of reaching the semi-finals in 2013.

Opening match: The "early final" of Group A

The match schedule has set up a fateful scenario: Vietnam U23 will face Jordan U23 in the opening match on January 6, 2026. In a group that includes host nation and defending champion Saudi Arabia and the "dark horse" Kyrgyzstan, the match between Vietnam and Jordan is seen as an early final for second place in the group.

The head-to-head history currently favors the West Asian team. In their two previous encounters at this tournament, Jordan defeated Vietnam 3-1 (in 2016) and drew 0-0 (in 2020). These statistics mean that coach Kim Sang Sik and his players must prepare as thoroughly as possible tactically if they want to gain an advantage.

A group of giants and newcomers.

The 2026 AFC U23 Championship is not only a showcase of top players, but also a platform to affirm the status of leading football nations. This year's tournament brings together all five former champions: Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and host nation Saudi Arabia.

Notably, Jordan, along with Australia, is one of only seven teams to have consistently participated in every World Cup finals to date. This demonstrates the stability and enduring quality of Jordanian youth football. Alongside these veteran teams, the tournament also welcomes the first-time appearances of Kyrgyzstan and Lebanon, bringing the total number of countries that have participated in the finals to 27.

The ultimate challenge for coach Kim Sang Sik and his team.

For the Vietnam U23 team, the task in Group A is extremely challenging. Saudi Arabia, as the host nation and defending champion, will almost certainly secure a spot in the next round. Therefore, the direct confrontation with Jordan is the "key" to determining the fate of the red-shirted team.

A defeat in the opening match would significantly narrow the chances of reaching the quarter-finals. Coach Kim Sang Sik will need to solve Jordan's attacking problems while also finding weaknesses in their defense, which has only conceded one goal so far.

The opening match on January 6th will undoubtedly be the focus of media and fan attention. Can the Vietnam U23 team overcome the pressure to create an upset against the formidable Jordan? The answer will be revealed in Saudi Arabia in early 2026.

Coach Kim Sang Sik's feng shui secrets have been revealed, with shocking implications for Coach Park Hang Seo. An Nhiên10:25:01 23/12/2025No longer just speculation, former coach Park Hang-seo has officially confirmed the feng shui item that has been causing a stir on social media, belonging to his successor Kim Sang-sik, as he embarks on a journey to dominate Southeast Asian football in 2025.