Vietnam Badminton at Asiad 2026: First Steps on Asian Arena

Hiroshima, October 2026 – The first match of the Vietnamese men's badminton team at the Asian Games took place in the open atmosphere of the Hiroshima Sports Arena. Vietnam's opponent in the opening match was the Bangladesh team – one of the developing teams in South Asia. According to the organizing committee, the men's singles matches were played under a best-of-5 format (three singles, two doubles), with each singles match following the 21-point scoring system, winning two of three games. The Vietnamese team opted for a strategy placing young shuttlers at positions one and two, while the most experienced player was positioned at number three – an arrangement showing the coaching staff was building the squad for the 2026 Olympic cycle. The first match of Vietnam's number one player ended with a 2-0 victory after two games. The first game ended 11-3, the second 11-4. The opponent from Bangladesh, ranked around 375 in the world rankings, showed a clear gap in skill level. The Vietnamese player controlled the game from the start, maintaining a fast pace and applying pressure at the net area. The second match followed with similar scores: 11-3 and 11-5. The 21-year-old young player, assessed as having great development potential, demonstrated a balanced playing style between defense and attack. The third match was slightly more competitive. The first game ended 11-9 in favor of the Vietnamese player. In the second game, the Bangladeshi opponent played more confidently but still couldn't balance the game. The experienced Vietnamese player completed the match with a 2-0 victory. Notably, all three singles matches ended after two games, meaning Vietnam's doubles pairs – traditionally the team's strength – were preserved for the next round. Following the 3-0 victory, the Vietnamese team officially qualified for the men's team quarterfinals. This was the best performance of Vietnamese badminton at an Asian Games since the sport was included in the program. Coaching staff representatives stated that reaching the quarterfinals was the goal set from the beginning of the tournament. However, the next opponent is expected to be much more challenging than Bangladesh. Regarding the format, the Asian Games does not award BWF world ranking points for team matches. This means results in Hiroshima provide medal and national honor value but do not directly affect players' positions in international rankings. The Hiroshima Arena, built in 2026, is not a purpose-built badminton venue at the Super 1000 level. Court conditions, lighting, and indoor airflow could affect smash shots and net control play. However, Vietnamese players demonstrated good adaptability to the competition environment. The quarterfinals are expected to take place within 48 hours. The specific opponent will be determined after other group matches conclude. According to assessments, the heavy favorites for the men's team championship include Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan – teams with long traditions in Asian badminton. The Vietnamese badminton team's performance at Asiad 2026 serves as an important stepping stone for Vietnam's sports development strategy toward the 2026 Olympics. Particularly, discovering and training young shuttlers is assessed as the top priority of the Vietnam Badminton Federation during the 2026-2026 period.