Vietnam's national team returns home after failure at Asian Cup finals

Vietnam women's national team and coach Mai Duc Chung return home after their campaign at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup finals.

After concluding their journey at the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 finals held in Australia, the Vietnam women's national team will depart for home on March 12. According to the schedule, coach Mai Duc Chung and his squad will take off from Perth at 10:00 AM on March 12 (local time).

The flight is expected to land in Ho Chi Minh City at 15:45 on the same day. Subsequently, the northern contingent of the team will continue with a connecting flight to Hanoi, scheduled to land at Noi Bai International Airport at 22:35 on March 12. After returning home, the players will rejoin their clubs to resume training and competition, while also preparing for the upcoming international commitments of Vietnam women's football in 2026.

Following the match against Japan women's national team at the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026, coach Mai Duc Chung attended a press conference and candidly shared his thoughts on the match as well as the future direction of Vietnam women's football.

At the press conference, coach Mai Duc Chung also expressed gratitude to the host country and the Vietnamese community for accompanying the team throughout the tournament.

“On behalf of the Vietnam women's national football team, I sincerely thank the fans and the people of Australia for warmly welcoming us during our time competing here. Especially, I thank the Vietnamese expatriates and Vietnamese residents in Australia who consistently came to the stadium to cheer for the team in the recent matches. That has been a tremendous encouragement for us.”

When asked about his future after the tournament, coach Mai Duc Chung stated that he plans to step down after completing his duties, giving opportunities to the next generation. “After this tournament, I also intend to retire. I am pleased that there will soon be someone to take over and continue leading the Vietnam women's national team.”

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