Vietnam eyes spot in 2034 FIFA World Cup
By 2031–2045, Vietnam hopes to transition from merely participating in continental tournaments to competing strongly.
THE HANOI TIMES — Vietnam aims to qualify for the 2034 FIFA World Cup in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's national football development master plan.
From now until 2030, Vietnam aims to improve its performance in regional and continental competitions, focusing on winning gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and advancing further in the Asian Cup and ASIAD.
Vietnamese players and coaching staff celebrate their third ASEAN Cup trophy in 2024. Photo: Ngoc Tu/The Hanoi Times
The ministry has set a goal for the men’s national football team to reach the final round of FIFA World Cup qualifying, which they achieved in 2022, and to qualify for the 2034 World Cup - the first time in history.
In addition, Vietnam plans to qualify for the 2028 or 2032 Olympic Games.
Regarding women’s soccer, the goal is to win the SEA Games in 2025, 2027, and 2029.
The ministry also expects the women’s team to reach the semi-finals in the 2026 and 2030 ASIAD and to participate in either the 2028 or 2032 Olympic Games.
The men’s football team has its sights set on winning medals at the Asian Cup and making consistent appearances at the World Cup.
The women’s team is expected to maintain top-five status in Asia and achieve better World Cup results.
As part of the plan, the ministry aims to strengthen youth training and development and enhance its partnership with European and Japanese academies in this area.
It also targets the professionalization of domestic leagues, the expansion of international cooperation, data-driven management, and sports sciences.
