Kim Sang-sik's future as head coach of the Vietnam national football team has become uncertain as the schedule for the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup has been delayed by nearly a year. His contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is set to expire about 10 months before the tournament begins.
According to local media reports on November 6, the AFC has rescheduled the Asian Cup, which will now take place from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028, in Saudi Arabia. This change affects not only the Vietnam team's preparation plans but also raises questions about the coach's future.
Kim's current contract with the VFF ends in February 2027. Under the original schedule, his contract would have concluded immediately after the Asian Cup, but the postponement creates a gap of approximately 10 months between the contract's expiration and the tournament's start.
If both parties do not agree to extend the contract, Kim may leave his position before the Vietnam team competes in the Asian Cup.
Discussions regarding a contract renewal are expected to coincide with a restructuring of the VFF leadership planned for January 2027. The VFF is set to hold its 10th general assembly on January 4, after which formal negotiations for Kim's contract extension are anticipated.
Uncertainty Despite ASEAN Cup Victory; Indonesian Media Takes Notice
Kim's future may be influenced by the decisions of the newly formed football federation leadership. Since taking over as head coach in May 2024, Kim has achieved significant success in Southeast Asian football, including winning the 2024 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup, securing a gold medal in men's football at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), and finishing third in the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.
Throughout this period, he has effectively utilized both veteran and young players to build a competitive team. Based on these achievements, there is speculation in Vietnam about the possibility of continuing his tenure.
However, the postponement of the Asian Cup, which was expected to be a key evaluation stage for his contract renewal, complicates the situation. Indonesian media outlet Bolasports recently reported on Kim's uncertain future, stating, "The 2027 Asian Cup has been postponed, and Kim Sang-sik's contract is nearing its end. Currently, the future of the Korean coach with the Vietnam national team is uncertain. The VFF has not made any commitments to Kim yet."
The outlet noted that if Kim does not secure a new contract, he could leave the Vietnam national team about 10 months before the Asian Cup. Bolasports emphasized that the Asian Cup was initially intended to be a crucial benchmark for evaluating Kim's leadership, and the opportunity to assess competitiveness on the broader Asian stage has been lost.
"The ASEAN Championship alone cannot accurately assess the Vietnam national team's level against the standards of Asian football," the report stated, highlighting that the Asian Cup could be a significant tournament for determining future collaboration.
The contract issues arising from the tournament's postponement are not limited to Vietnam. Reports indicate that Thailand's head coach Anthony Hudson and Japan's head coach Hajime Moriyasu also face similar situations, as their contracts were set to expire after the original Asian Cup schedule. Both the Football Association of Thailand and the Japan Football Association had planned to evaluate their coaches based on the Asian Cup results, but the schedule change has forced them to adjust their assessment plans.
As the evaluation of leadership through the Asian Cup has been postponed beyond the contract expiration, whether the VFF will decide to extend Kim's contract based on previous tournament results or establish new criteria will be a key issue affecting his future.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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