Culture - Sports

Vietnamese referee called to manage World Cup qualifiers

Vietnamese referee Ngo Duy Lan has been selected by FIFA, the global governing body of football, to officiate in the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.
Vietnamese referee called to manage World Cup qualifiers ảnh 1Vietnamese referee Ngo Duy Lan (Photo: baogialai.com.vn)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnamese referee Ngo Duy Lan hasbeen selected by FIFA, the global governing body of football, to officiate inthe second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

Lan will take charge of the match between Pakistan and Tajikistan,scheduled to take place on November 21 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Lan's recent officiating duties include managing the first-legmatch on October 25 between Kitchee SC Club of China’s Hong Kong and BangkokUnited Club of Thailand, as part of a Group F fixture in the Asian FootballConfederation (AFC) Champions League.

He will also oversee the second-leg match between the same teams,which is set to take place on November 8 in Bangkok, Thailand.

As one of the four FIFA referees in Vietnam, Lan holds theposition of a senior referee of the AFC and is regularly appointed to officiateofficial tournaments organised by the AFC.

This year, Lan worked at the AFC Cup in August and the 19th AsianGames in September, further enhancing his experience and expertise.

Meanwhile, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup second qualifyinground, the head coach of the Vietnamese men's team, Philippe Troussier, hasannounced a 32-member squad to undergo training this month.

Alongside talented veterans such as goalkeeper Dang Van Lam,defenders Que Ngoc Hai, Do Duy Mạnh, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, midfielders Do Hung Dung,Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Tuan Anh, and strikers Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Van Toan,and Nguyen Tien Linh, Troussier has also included promising young players whohave previously trained with the team, such as Khuat Van Khang, Hoang Van Toan,Nguyen Thai Son, and Giap Tuan Duong.

The team will train locally from November 6 to 13 before departingfor Manila, the Philippines, where they will play their opening qualifyingmatch.

In the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vietnamhave been placed in Group F. They will face the Philippines in an away game onNovember 16, followed by a home game against Iraq on November 21. The team willthen play an away game against Indonesia on March 21, 2024.

Although Iraq pose a significant challenge, the Vietnamese teamhave a strong chance of achieving positive results against the remaining twoopponents, Indonesia and the Philippines, with the aim of securing second placein their group./.
VNA
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