Some members of the group pose for a photograph before departing from Ninh Binh Province on August 20 (Photo: Provided by the group).
Forty Vietnamese football fans have travelled nearly 1,400km to Thailand by road and rail to support the national team in the first leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup final against Thailand.
At 6 am on August 21, after spending a night in Vientiane, Laos, Dinh Duc Thang, deputy chairman of the Nam Dinh Supporters' Association, and 19 other fans boarded a 45-seat coach bound for Bangkok.
The remaining 20 members of the group chose to travel by train to Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.
The group of 40 left Nam Dinh Ward in Ninh Binh Province on the morning of August 20, crossing into Laos through a border gate in Nghe An Province. They arrived in Vientiane after more than 12 hours on the road.
“We chose a combination of coach and train because many members wanted different experiences on a journey of nearly 3,000km in total, including the return trip,” Thang said.
Members complete exit procedures from Laos to Thailand (Photo: Provided by the group).
A five-day football trip
The idea for the trip emerged after the ASEAN Football Federation's draw for the tournament.
After following Vietnam's progress through the competition, the supporters believed Xuan Son and his teammates could reach the final and face Thailand.
“After the Vietnam-Indonesia match, we believed the national team would get through the semi-finals. We started forming the group, discussing plans to hire a coach, booking return train tickets between Vientiane and Bangkok and looking for hotels,” Thang said.
Each member is contributing between VND 5 million and VND 6.5 million towards the trip, depending on their accommodation and food arrangements. The journey is scheduled to last five days and four nights, from August 20 to August 24.
Beyond watching the final, the fans plan to explore Thailand and experience its culture and cuisine.
The two groups are expected to meet at 3 pm on August 21 before travelling to Pattaya for sightseeing and then returning to Bangkok for the final.
In Bangkok, the 40 fans have booked a hotel about 2km from the stadium to make getting to and from the match easier, particularly during peak hours.
Thang said he had secured match tickets through several channels in recent days, paying about 500 baht each.
The supporters have brought banners, the national flag and the flag of Nam Dinh-based Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC, alongside their team shirts, to cheer on the players.
“I predict the away match will end 2-1 in favour of Vietnam. We hope the players perform well, remain confident and bring home a victory,” Thang said.
The first leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup final will kick off at Rajamangala Stadium at 8pm on August 22. The second leg will be played at My Dinh Stadium at 8pm on August 26.
It will be Vietnam's third consecutive appearance in the ASEAN Cup final. The team lost to Thailand in 2022 but defeated them in the 2024 edition.