Malaysia aims to surpass Vietnam by 2026

Malaysia is focused on 2026 with a definite objective: to get ahead of Vietnam and qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, ending the qualifying journey with a landmark win.

The Malaysian national team is striving to complete the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers by earning a place in the final tournament, following an impressive and emotional 2025 season.

Under the guidance of coach Peter Cklamovski, Harimau Malaya demonstrated convincing form in Group F by winning all five matches to collect 15 points. Malaysia kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Nepal, then caused a shock by defeating Vietnam 4-0 in June. Riding this momentum, Malaysia beat Laos 3-0 in Vientiane and dominated again with a 5-1 win in the return leg at Bukit Jalil.

In the rematch against Nepal in November, Cklamovski’s squad secured a narrow 1-0 win to close out 2025 with a perfect record. After five matches, Malaysia scored a total of 15 goals and conceded only once, an impressive statistic reflecting the yellow-black team’s stability and clear progress.

Selangor FC winger Faisal Halim is the top scorer for Malaysia in the qualifiers with three goals. Faisal’s brilliance, along with consistent performances from key players like Arif Aiman, Safawi Rasid, and Ramadhan Saifullah, is helping the team become more competitive than ever.

Following a highly successful phase, Malaysia will conclude their qualifying campaign with an away match against Vietnam in March 2026, a game that will serve as a “final” for Group F since both teams still have a chance to advance.

This encounter is even more anticipated with the return of Brazilian-born striker Nguyễn Xuân Sơn to the home team’s lineup. Xuân Sơn missed the first leg at Bukit Jalil due to injury, and his comeback will provide coach Kim Sang Sik with more attacking options.

Despite playing away, Malaysia is highly determined. The entire squad aims to finish 2026 by securing qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup, a well-deserved reward for a young, disciplined, and increasingly resilient team asserting Malaysia’s new status in regional and continental football.