Vietnam U23 officially replaces Iran U23 to participate in the international tournament in China

As reported by Sohu, the Chinese Football Association has verified that Vietnam U23 will take the place of Iran U23 in the U23 Team China 2026 competition.

According to the latest information from Sohu (China), the Chinese Football Association (CFA) has officially announced an adjustment to the participant list for the CFA Team China U23 2026 international youth football tournament, to be held in Xi'an city. Accordingly, the Vietnam U23 team will replace Iran U23 in the tournament after the West Asian representative withdrew due to force majeure.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from March 25th to 31st in Xi'an (China), featuring four teams: host China U23, Vietnam U23, Thailand U23, and North Korea U23. This is an annual international friendly competition organized by the CFA to provide young teams with opportunities for exposure and to accumulate international match experience.

Initially, the tournament included Iran U23 along with three other teams: China U23, Thailand U23, and North Korea U23. However, the West Asian team decided to withdraw due to objective reasons, forcing the organizers to find a replacement to ensure the participation of four teams. In this context, Vietnam U23 was invited to join and quickly became the replacement team.

According to the competition format, the teams will play each other in a round-robin system over three matchdays to determine the final standings. Participation in the Xi'an tournament is seen as a crucial opportunity for young Vietnamese players to gain experience by facing opponents with different playing styles from the East Asia and Southeast Asia regions.

In the context of the Vietnamese national team preparing for an important match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers in late March, it is likely that the squad for the friendly tournament in China will consist of young players from the U21 age group or promising members of the Vietnam U23 team. Nevertheless, the tournament is still considered a useful test for the process of developing Vietnam's youth football talent, with a view towards long-term goals such as the 2026 ASIAD.