Vietnam is on the verge of making history in Southeast Asian football. Should they defeat Malaysia in the final on the evening of 24/4, Vietnam will become the first team to secure 4 titles at the AFF U17 Championship, surpassing Thailand and Australia to become the most successful team in the tournament's history. This marks Vietnam's fifth appearance in the final, following 2010, 2016, 2017, and 2022. They have previously claimed the championship ba times: in 2006 (under a round-robin format), 2010, and 2017. The prospect of a fourth title is bolstered by their convincing 4-0 victory over Malaysia in the group stage on 13/4, led by coach Roland.

Coach Shukor Adan's Malaysia team demonstrated resilience after an initial 0-4 loss to Vietnam in their opening match. They overcame host Indonesia with a 1-0 victory and secured a 2-0 win against Timor Leste, advancing to the knockout stage as the best group runner-up. In the semifinal, Malaysia defeated Laos 3-0, benefiting from their opponent being reduced to ten men early due to a red card.

Unlike Vietnam, the Malaysia Football Association (FAM) sent a U16 squad, with half the players being U15, to the AFF U17 Championship 2026. This participation serves as preparation for the U17 Asia qualifiers 2027. This marks Malaysia's thu ba appearance in the AFF U17 Championship final across 17 editions. Their hai previous finals both resulted in championship victories: against Thailand in 2019 and Indonesia in 2013.

After 4 matches, Vietnam stands as one of the highest-scoring teams in the tournament, netting 16 goals, a tally matched by Australia. They also boast the best defensive record, having conceded only mot goal.

Historically, head-to-head encounters in the tournament have favored Malaysia, with 5 wins compared to Vietnam's ba losses. Malaysia also holds a perfect record against Vietnam in knockout rounds, specifically in semifinals, securing 1-0 victories in 2013 and 3-1 in 2019. However, prior to their recent defeat at Gelora Delta in Indonesia, Malaysia also experienced a significant 0-4 loss to Vietnam in the U17 Asia qualifiers 2026, which took place at PVF in Hung Yen on 30/11/2025. This result ultimately cost Malaysia a spot in the finals, with Vietnam advancing instead.

Vy Anh