Indonesian media impressed by Vietnam's record of reaching the semifinals

According to Superball, Vietnam and Thailand continue to assert their status as top Southeast Asian teams, having never missed the ASEAN Cup semifinals since 2018. This milestone demonstrates the remarkable stability of both football nations as regional opponents become increasingly competitive.

In the last five ASEAN Cup editions, both Vietnam and Thailand have consistently advanced deep into the tournament. Each team has appeared in the final three times and won the championship twice.

Superball believes these figures reflect the prominent position of Vietnam and Thailand in the region's top football tournament. Behind them are Malaysia and Singapore, each with three semifinal appearances since the new format was introduced. Malaysia once reached the final, losing to Vietnam in 2018.

Singapore has also made several semifinal appearances but has never reached the final during this period. Indonesia has been in the semifinals twice and the final once, while the Philippines has also appeared twice in the last four but has never advanced to the final.

According to Superball, the continued presence of Vietnam and Thailand in the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinals highlights the significant gap between these two teams and the rest of the region. Both teams also have the opportunity to create a familiar final if they both advance past this round.

The Indonesian newspaper also pointed out another notable aspect of this year's tournament. All four teams in the ASEAN Cup 2026 semifinals have previously won the tournament: Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Therefore, regardless of which team wins the championship, this year's tournament will not see a new champion.