The quarterfinals for men's football at the 2026 Asian Games (ASIAD) have been confirmed, with matches set to occur on September 25 and 26. Both Vietnam and Thailand, representing Southeast Asia, have successfully reached this stage of the tournament.

The quarterfinal matchups include Thailand facing China and Japan taking on North Korea, both scheduled for September 26 at the Toyota Stadium. Japan and Thailand secured their spots by winning their first two matches against Kyrgyzstan and Hong Kong, making their final group match a means to determine the group leader. Consequently, both teams opted to rest key players, allowing less frequently used squad members to gain experience.

In their final group match on September 23, Japan dominated Thailand with a 3-0 victory, controlling 62% of possession and recording 25 attempts on goal, with 7 on target. This win allowed Japan to finish at the top of Group A with a perfect record.

Meanwhile, Group B saw a competitive finish with China, North Korea, Iran, and the UAE all vying for advancement. Iran and China were leading with 4 points before the last matches, while North Korea and the UAE had 1 point each. In a surprising turn, North Korea came from behind to defeat Iran 4-1, with key contributions from Cheo Kuk and Ra Myong-song. China managed a goalless draw with the UAE, which allowed them to top the group with 5 points, while North Korea followed closely with 4 points.

The remaining two quarterfinal matchups were determined earlier on September 22, featuring Uzbekistan against Saudi Arabia and Vietnam taking on South Korea. These matches are set for September 25 at Paloma Mizuho Stadium. Uzbekistan topped Group C with a convincing 5-1 win over the Philippines, while Vietnam finished second after a draw with Kuwait and a win against the Philippines.

Historically, neither Vietnam nor Thailand has won a medal in men's football at the Asian Games, with Thailand's best performance being a fourth-place finish in 1990, 1998, 2002, and 2014. Vietnam's best result was also fourth place in 2018. In contrast, South Korea leads the medal tally with 6 golds, while Japan has won gold once and North Korea has one gold from 1978.

As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly await the quarterfinal matches, hoping for exciting performances from their teams.