Vietnam to face Malaysia and Indonesia in AFF Suzuki Cup 2020
NDO - The draw for the group stage of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 was held virtually in Singapore on September
NDO – The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has confirmed that the 2020 AFF Cup will go ahead this December as previously planned despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the group stage draw slated for August 10.
Specifically, the regional championship is scheduled to take place from December 5 to 31, with its format possibly moving from home-and-away matches as usual to being held at a centralised venue instead, in order to ensure safety amidst COVID-19 fears.
The tournament was originally scheduled to run from November 23 to December 31, 2020, but was then rescheduled at least twice due to pandemic - first postponed to mid-April 2021 and later pushed back further to December.
AFF President Sameth Khiev said: “We are aware of the need to be prepared for the impacts of COVID-19 on the tournament. Changes can happen and we have to stand ready to play in centralised venues because the safety factor is a top priority. Organisational plans for the tournament will be announced later this month.”
The draw for the 2020 AFF Cup is expected to be held on August 10. Accordingly, a total of 10 teams will be drawn into two groups of five teams. There will be five seeding pots for the draw, with Pot 1 featuring reigning title holders Vietnam and 2016 champions Thailand.
2018 runners-up Malaysia join Indonesia in Pot 2, while the Philippines and Myanmar make up Pot 3. Pot 4 consists of Singapore and Cambodia, with the last pot featuring Laos and Timor Leste or Brunei.
Vietnam are the reigning AFF Cup champions.
Three years ago, coach Park Hang-seo’s Vietnamese side outplayed Malaysia with an aggregate score of 3-2 in the final of the 2018 AFF Cup to take the overall trophy for the second time in history.