Following Vietnam's 3-2 victory over UAE to reach the semifinals on the evening of 16/1, some reports suggested the champion would receive 6 million USD, equivalent to approximately 150 billion VND. The subsequent three positions were rumored to receive 3 million, 1 million, and 500,000 USD, respectively.

However, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) confirmed that the tournament has no prize money, consistent with previous editions. The regulations for the U23 Asian Cup 2026 stipulate that the champion receives the Cup and 43 medals. The teams finishing second and third also receive a similar number of medals. Additional medals can be produced upon request, with the requesting team covering the costs.

Members of Vietnam celebrate after their 3-2 victory over UAE in the quarterfinals of the U23 Asian Cup 2026, at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 16/1/2026. Photo: AFC

A fair-play award will be presented, typically to the team receiving the fewest cards among the top four. Additionally, the tournament features three individual awards: Best Player, Top Scorer, and Best Goalkeeper.

All national teams participating in the U23 Asian Cup finals must cover their airfare to Saudi Arabia, along with some incidental expenses. The host nation, however, covers accommodation and domestic travel costs.

Continental tournaments for senior national teams, such as the men's and women's Asian Cup, do offer prize money. In the Asian Cup 2023, the champion received 5 million USD. The runner-up received 3 million USD, while the two losing semifinalists each received 1 million USD.

To date, the VFF has awarded coach Kim Sang-sik's team a total of 3.1 billion VND. This includes 1.9 billion VND for advancing past the group stage and 1.2 billion VND for their quarterfinal victory.

In 2018, under coach Park Hang-seo, Vietnam finished second in the U23 Asian Cup. The prize money for the team amounted to approximately 50 billion VND, sourced from the VFF, state incentives, and sponsors.

Under coach Kim, the U23 team maintains a 15-match winning streak in official competitions, having won the U23 Southeast Asia Championship and the 33rd SEA Games. Vietnam's next opponent will be the winner of the quarterfinal match between Uzbekistan and China, scheduled for this evening 17/1.

Hieu Luong