Background
This was the twelfth ASEAN Championship final and fourth consecutive finals for Thailand, having won the 1996, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022 finals, and lost in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2024 finals. For Vietnam, it was the sixth ASEAN Championship final and third consecutive finals having won in 2008, 2018 and 2024 finals, but lost in two 1998 and 2022 finals.
Both were the strongest-ranked AFF teams in the FIFA World Rankings; Thailand was ranked first in Southeast Asia at 94th while Vietnam ranked second, five places behind. This marked the first time that the finalists meet in three successive AFF Championship finals. Thailand had the second-highest win percentage in the ASEAN Championship finals with 64% while Vietnam had 60%. Thailand leads the all-time championship table with seven titles to their name while Vietnam, on the other hand, had only won three in 2008, 2018 and 2024. They have met in the final thrice prior: in 2008 when Vietnam won 3–2 on aggregate (won 2–1 in the first leg; and drew 1–1 in the second), 2022 when Thailand won by the same scoreline (2–2 draw in the first leg; and won 1–0 in the second), and most recently 2024 when Vietnam won 5–3 on aggregate (winning both legs 2–1 and 3–2, respectively). In all competitions since Vietnam's reintegration, Thailand won 18 meetings, Vietnam won only 5, and 8 matches ended in draws. [4]
This final between the two countries is highly anticipated given their success, having won each AFF tournament since 2014.
Venues
The two stadiums chosen to host the 2026 ASEAN Championship finals were the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand and the Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam. The first leg will be hosted at Rajamangala Stadium on 22 August, while the second leg will be played at Mỹ Đình Stadium on 26 August.
Rajamangala Stadium opened on 6 December 1998 and was built for the 1998 Asian Games, which was held in Thailand. With a capacity of 51,560 spectators, it is the home ground of Thailand national football team. It has hosted many international and regional sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup qualification, AFC Asian Cup, ASEAN Championship and Southeast Asian Games.
Mỹ Đình National Stadium was officially inaugurated on 2 September 2003, which coincided with the nation's Independence Day. It was constructed to serve the 2003 Southeast Asian Games hosted in Vietnam. With a capacity of 40,192, the stadium serves as a key national sports venue and is the main home stadium of the Vietnam national football team. Similarly, Mỹ Đình Stadium has also hosted many important international matches, multi-sport events as well as major cultural activities.
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