CAHN will face tough opposition in the ACL Elite, while The Cong Viettel has the potential to be paired up against Persib in the competition.

Two Vietnamese clubs face tough challenges in the 2026/27 Asian club football competitions. CAHN FC will go up against a line-up of elite clubs in the AFC Champions League Elite, while The Cong Viettel has been drawn into a potentially difficult group in the AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2).

CAHN is the sole Vietnamese representative in Asia's top-tier club competition. The side managed by Alexandre Polking qualified for the main stage after defeating Adelaide United 2-0 in the play-off round.

However, a gruelling path awaits them in the main phase. Placed as the fourth seed from the East Asia zone, CAHN will have to face multiple leading clubs from Japan, China, and Malaysia.

CAHN FC's opponents include Kashima Antlers, Vissel Kobe, Kashiwa Reysol, Kyoto Sanga and Gamba Osaka from Japan. In addition, CAHN will also go up against Shanghai Port and Beijing FC from China, as well as Johor Darul Ta'zim from Malaysia.

CAHN Drawn Against Five Japanese Clubs

The large number of Japanese representatives poses one of the biggest challenges for CAHN. Japan stands as one of the dominant powers in Asian football, with a long-established track record in continental competitions.

Kashima Antlers enter the tournament as former Asian champions, while Gamba Osaka boasts extensive experience competing in AFC events. Vissel Kobe, Kashiwa Reysol and Kyoto Sanga will also provide stern tests for the Vietnamese club.

Beyond the Japanese sides, Shanghai Port, Beijing FC and Johor Darul Ta'zim are also far from easy opposition. All three clubs possess strong financial backing, quality playing squads and proven experience competing at international level.

The competition format means every single match carries significant weight. The 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite will no longer use the traditional group stage format.

Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, consisting of four home fixtures and four away fixtures.

All match results will be compiled into a single unified league table, which will determine which teams progress to the subsequent knockout rounds.

For CAHN, this format leaves very little margin for dropped points. Maintaining consistency right from the opening match will be critical to keeping their qualification hopes alive.

The Cong Viettel's Challenge in ACL 2

A similarly difficult assignment awaits The Cong Viettel in the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Two.

The Vietnamese club has been placed in East Asia Zone Group E alongside South Korea's FC Seoul, Australia's Melbourne Victory, and the winner of the play-off tie between Persib Bandung and Manila Digger.

This line-up has immediately marked Group E as one of the most closely watched groups in the tournament.

FC Seoul is one of South Korea's biggest clubs, with extensive history competing in Asian competitions. Melbourne Victory meanwhile are known for their physically demanding, high-intensity style of play.

The Cong Viettel are also still waiting to confirm their final group opponent. Should Persib Bandung defeat Manila Digger in the play-offs, the Indonesian side will join Group E.

The presence of Persib would bring an extra layer of challenge for The Cong Viettel. Aside from the quality of the Maung Bandung squad, the Vietnamese club would also have to contend with the hostile away atmosphere when travelling to Indonesia if the two sides meet at Persib's home ground.

Two Vietnamese Representatives Tested Against Asia's Elite Clubs

Both CAHN and The Cong Viettel face campaigns that will demand unwavering consistency. CAHN will compete at the very top continental level against leading clubs from Japan, China and Malaysia.

Meanwhile The Cong Viettel must navigate Group E, which features established sides from South Korea, Australia, and either Indonesia or the Philippines.

For Vietnamese football as a whole, these two competitions represent a valuable benchmark to measure how far domestic clubs have progressed when competing against continental opposition.