They said the tournament offers opportunities for footballers, especially those who receive their maiden SEA Games call-ups, to compete with strong rivals.
They spoke highly of the organising committee’s support for delegations as well as quality of training grounds and stadiums in Quang Ninh province, adding that the reigning champions Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar are favourites to triumph this time.
Head coach of Vietnam Mai Duc Chung said they will spare no efforts to gain the best results.
The hosts Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia are pooled in Group A, while Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore and Laos in Group B.
Fixtures in the group stage will be held from May 9 to 15. Semi-finals and final are slated for May 18 and 21, respectively.
SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, will be held in the capital and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities from May 12 to 23.
Featuring 40 sports with 526 events, it is expected to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
