The historic C1 ticket places CAHN alongside two Southeast Asian powerhouses

CAHN has secured a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite, yet the standard to match is that of Buriram and JDT, the region's top clubs that regularly go far in Asia.

A 2-0 victory at Adelaide United sent Cong An Ha Noi into the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 group stage, but the historic qualification immediately places the Vietnamese team alongside the two biggest benchmarks in Southeast Asia today: Buriram United and Johor Darul Ta’zim.

Looking at the last two Elite seasons, Buriram remains at the top of the Southeast Asian group. The Thai side reached the quarter-finals in both 2024/25 and 2025/26. In 2025, they eliminated JDT in the round of 16 with a 1-0 aggregate before losing 0-3 to Al Ahli. A year later, Buriram advanced through the group stage with 14 points, beat Melbourne City on penalties, and only stopped after 120 minutes against Shabab Al Ahli, losing 2-3.

Buriram's strength is further reinforced by a domestic treble in the 2025/26 season. This foundation allows them to remain competitive on the continental stage, rather than just producing a one-off outstanding campaign.

JDT has also taken a notable step forward. In 2024/25, the Malaysian representative finished fourth in the East region with 14 points but was stopped by Buriram in the round of 16. In 2025/26, JDT beat Vissel Kobe 1-0 in the final group match, then overcame Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-2 on aggregate to reach the Elite quarter-finals for the first time. Their journey ended with a 1-2 loss to reigning champions Al Ahli. Domestically, JDT just completed their 12th consecutive Malaysian title and their third straight quadruple.

That is the standard that CAHN must pursue. The Vietnamese representative does not enter this arena empty-handed. In the 2025/26 season, they advanced from the AFC Champions League Two group stage, including a 2-1 win over Beijing FC, before being eliminated in the round of 16 by Tampines Rovers. At the Southeast Asian level, CAHN once pushed Buriram to a penalty shootout in the 2024/25 ASEAN Club Championship final after two legs ended 5-5 on aggregate.

That detail shows CAHN already has a foundation to compete regionally, but the Elite is a tougher benchmark. Buriram and JDT have proven they can survive the group stage, eliminate Japanese and Australian teams, and stand among Asia's top eight.

Therefore, CAHN's goal is not merely to show up. The real measure will be their ability to hold their own against Asia's strongest tier, where Buriram and JDT have already left their mark. The draw on August 18 may soon reveal how far CAHN must go to turn a historic ticket into a new status.