A 16-team boost to participation in the 2026 World Cup has raised many fans’ hopes, but Vietnam is a long way away from getting there, football pundits say. “The 2026 World Cup will increase participation slots from 32 to 48 national teams, which means Vietnam has to be in Asia’s top 10 teams to appear in the tournament,” said football commentator Doan Minh Xuong. “The Vietnamese football scene currently lacks development and promotion, as well as basic factors to grow, like stadiums and coaches. To be in Asia’s top 10, Vietnam needs a lot of improvement,” he said. Xuong noted that young players have contributed a lot to the recent success of Vietnamese football, so the focus has to be on training them. Several young players have already experienced international competitions since they were teenagers, he told Tuoi Tre. Vietnam’s national football team coach, Korean Park Hang-seo, echoed Xuong: “Vietnam is not ready for the World Cup yet. Football movement in Vietnam is not going strong at the moment. Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Hanoi FC are the only two clubs having great youth training quality but that’s not enough. To build a World Cup-ready squad, we have to make…