Singapore lead Group A of the 2026 ASEAN Championship on seven points as the tournament reaches its decisive stage, with defending champions Vietnam away to Indonesia and Cambodia hosting Timor-Leste on Monday.
The competition, officially the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026, is the 16th edition of Southeast Asian football’s flagship international tournament. Ten teams are split into two groups, with the top two in each advancing to two-legged semi-finals.
How does Group A stand?
Singapore have taken seven points from three matches, drawing 0-0 away to Vietnam on 31 July after beating Cambodia 2-1 and Timor-Leste 2-0. Indonesia have won both their matches, scoring eight and conceding one.
| Pos | Team | Pld | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 3 | 4:1 | 7 |
| 2 | Indonesia | 2 | 8:1 | 6 |
| 3 | Vietnam | 2 | 7:0 | 4 |
| 4 | Cambodia | 2 | 2:7 | 0 |
| 5 | Timor-Leste | 3 | 0:12 | 0 |
Vietnam opened with a 7-0 win away to Timor-Leste before the goalless draw with Singapore. Cambodia have lost both matches, 2-1 to Singapore and 5-1 away to Indonesia.
What is the state of the 2026 ASEAN Championship?
The 2026 ASEAN Championship, officially the ASEAN Hyundai Cup, is the 16th edition of the Southeast Asian football championship and runs from 24 July to 26 August 2026. Ten teams are divided into two groups of five, playing a single round-robin group stage from 24 July to 8 August, with the top two in each group advancing to two-legged semi-finals and a two-legged final between 15 and 26 August. Group A comprises Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and Timor-Leste; Group B comprises Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Laos. Vietnam enter as defending champions, having won their third title by beating Thailand 5-3 on aggregate in the previous final. Thailand are the record winners with seven titles. The tournament has moved to a summer window for the first time since 1998.
What is at stake on Monday?
Indonesia host Vietnam in the match most likely to settle the group. Indonesia have never won the tournament despite six runners-up finishes, and are the only Southeast Asian side to have reached the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Cambodia, ranked 179th by FIFA and without a point, face Timor-Leste in a match both sides need to avoid finishing last. Cambodia have reached the group stage in ten previous editions without advancing.
The final round of group matches on 7 August will be played simultaneously, pairing Singapore with Indonesia and Vietnam with Cambodia.
Why has the tournament moved to August?
The 2026 edition is the first staged in a summer window since 1998. Previous editions were held around the turn of the year, a slot that sat awkwardly against domestic league calendars across the region and against club commitments for players based abroad.
FIFA rankings within the group remain spread: Vietnam are 107th, Indonesia 122nd, Singapore 148th and Cambodia 179th. Singapore, four-time winners, are the lowest-ranked side currently leading either group.
How is Group B shaping up?
ESPN rates record seven-time winners Thailand as the team to beat in Group B, where Malaysia, champions in 2010, opened with wins over Myanmar and Laos. Thailand beat Laos 5-0 in their first match. Myanmar beat the Philippines 4-1.
The knockout round runs from 15 to 26 August, with semi-finals and the final both played over two legs.
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Sources for this report
The Redline News Desk
The Redline News desk files and edits world reporting. Every story carries the sources it was built from, and corrections are published on the story itself.
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