Southeast Asian fans collectively react as Vietnam's chances for World Cup participation brighten.

FIFA's expansion of participating teams for the Women's World Cup 2031 offers a significant chance for Vietnam's women's national squad.

According to the latest information, FIFA has officially approved the decision to increase the number of teams in the Women's World Cup final tournament from 32 to 48, starting in 2031. This brings the Women's World Cup to a scale equivalent to the men's World Cup – which expanded to 48 teams from the 2026 edition – thereby marking a major step forward in the development and competitiveness of global women's football.

Most Southeast Asian fans believe this is a good opportunity for teams like Vietnam or Thailand to qualify for the World Cup final tournament: "If Asia gets 10 slots, Southeast Asia should have 3-4 slots. The women's football in this region is quite good. Hopefully Thailand or Vietnam can seize this opportunity."

"This will be a major motivation for Southeast Asian teams to secure World Cup tickets. If Philippines is already assured a spot, Vietnam, Thailand, or even Myanmar also have bright prospects. This could be historic for women's football in the region." or "Vietnam's women's national team just missed the 2027 World Cup, but four years later they are almost certain to participate."

Some opinions suggest that Southeast Asian teams need to add more naturalized players to improve their performance: "Look at Philippines and their success in recent years. I think Vietnam's or Thailand's women's national teams also need to supplement their resources with mixed-race or foreign-origin players."

The increase in team numbers brings a very large opportunity for national teams, especially in the Asian region. Currently, Asia has 6 direct slots plus 2 intercontinental play-off slots when the tournament has 32 teams. However, when the Women's World Cup 2031 expands to 48 teams, Asia's official slots are expected to increase to approximately 8 to 10 tickets, giving teams in the region more chances to participate in the world's biggest stage.

For Vietnam's women's national team, this is an opportunity more favorable than ever to aim for a second World Cup participation, following the historic milestone in 2023. Although they just missed the 2027 World Cup after an early exit in the Women's Asian Cup, in the new context, with good preparation and maintained stable performance, coach Mai Duc Chung and his team can fully utilize the advantage from the expansion of teams to realize their goals in the near future.

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