Looking back at Southeast Asian football in 2025: Vietnam stands out the most

Recapping the key football happenings in Southeast Asia during the year 2025.

The year 2025 ended with intense upheavals and unprecedented milestones, marking a bold new chapter for Southeast Asian football on the continental and global stage.

The absolute dominance of the "Golden Star Warriors" — Vietnamese football had a hugely successful year by capturing nearly all the major regional titles. Under the leadership of coach Kim Sang-sik, the national team won the ASEAN Cup 2024 (concluded in January 2025) by defeating Thailand on their home ground.

Continuing their winning streak, the U23 team successfully defended their title at the Southeast Asian U23 Championship, followed by the U22 team completing a historic "treble" by securing the SEA Games 33 Gold Medal after a thrilling final against host Thailand. Vietnam was also the only ASEAN country to achieve a perfect 100% qualification rate in all AFC tournaments at every level last year.

Indonesia continued to demonstrate a strong resurgence as the sole regional representative to reach the 4th round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers. At the youth level, Indonesia's U17 team also made history by qualifying for the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup, confirming their sound investment strategy in the next generation.

Alongside the joys, the regional football scene was shaken by a scandal involving fake documents of naturalized players in Malaysia, resulting in severe sanctions from FIFA. Conversely, Singapore scripted a fairy tale by ending a 41-year wait to officially return to the AFC Asian Cup, signaling the revival of a former champion.

Southeast Asian clubs shone brightly on the continental and regional stages, with Buriram United reaching the AFC Champions League Elite Top 8 and winning the ASEAN Club Championship. Notably, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club made a sensational breakthrough by reaching the Top 4 in Asia.

In futsal, Thailand’s decades-long dominance was finally overturned: Indonesia won the men's SEA Games gold medal, while Vietnam excelled by securing the women's gold. Additionally, the Philippines made history by hosting the inaugural Women's Futsal World Cup.