With three consecutive victories and a maximum nine points against Jordan (2-0), Kyrgyzstan (2-1), and hosts Saudi Arabia (1-0), Vietnam defied expectations to finish first in what had been widely dubbed the tournament’s “group of death”.
Vietnam will field 22 FIFA-accredited referees and assistant referees in 2026, comprising five male referees, seven male assistants, three female referees, three female assistants and four futsal referees covering both genders, the Vietnam Football Federation reported.
The FIFA President conveyed his congratulations and wishes for the teams’ continued success during a recent meeting with VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan.
With the new standing, Vietnam now rank fourth in Asia, behind only Iran (5th worldwide), Thailand (11th) and Japan (13th).
Through VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan, the PM praised the squads for their full commitment to the nation, highlighting their strong will, resilience and determination, while urging coaches Mai Duc Chung and Kim Sang-sik to focus on meticulous semifinal preparations.
Acecook Vietnam’s decision to elevate and extend its sponsorship package until 2030 sends a strong signal for the future of Vietnamese football, reflecting the company’s sense of responsibility and long-term commitment to the sport.
The Vietnamese men’s national football team climbed one spot to 110th in FIFA’s November rankings, according to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).
The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has appointed Tran Quoc Tuan – a member of the Executive Committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) – as a member of the FIFA Committee for National Team Competitions for the 2025-2029 term.
The slip was largely due to Libya, previously behind Vietnam, climbing five places from the 117th to 112th place after consecutive victories over Angola and Eswatini.
The roster blends seasoned veterans with young talents, promising fierce competition for places.
To gear up, the Vietnamese team will gather in late October, with the core squad drawn from standout performers in the 2025 national U17 championship.
The U16 team will assemble on the morning of July 23 and hold their first training session on the same day's afternoon at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Centre in Hanoi.
The Korean coach stressed that every match is as important as the final, so the team must fight with steely determination.
The 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship starts tomorrow in Indonesia, at a time when the future of Vietnamese football is put to the test following intriguing developments in ASEAN football.
The tournament is taking place at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi and PVF Stadium in nearby Hung Yen province from July 7 to 15.
The national U20 women’s football team will gather for training from July 1 to August 11, in preparation for Group B matches of the 2026 AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for August 6-10 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Centre in Hanoi.
The players consist of Do Duy Manh and Nguyen Hai Long (Hanoi FC), Nguyen Hoang Duc (Phu Dong Ninh Binh Club), and Nguyen Van Vi (Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC).
The qualifiers will run from August 2-10, featuring 33 teams competing for 11 spots in the finals in Thailand in 2026. The teams are divided into eight groups, seven with four teams and one with five.
These include the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers (Group E), the AFF U19 Women’s Championship 2025 and the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
The 16-strong Vietnamese national women’s futsal team will head to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia (China) on May 1 for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup China 2025.