VFF Chairman Trần Quốc Tuấn will be head of the men’s and women’s football teams at the ASIAD 19 in China. — Photo courtesy of vov.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has invited Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) Chairman Trần Quốc Tuấn to serve as head of the men’s and women’s football teams at the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD) in China.

Tuấn will be in charge of managing men's and women's football teams at the ASIAD from September 16.

During a recent meeting with the VFF, Winston Lee, general secretary of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), said that they highly appreciate the role and contribution Tuấn has made.

“The AFF believes that, with the participation of chairman of the VFF, Southeast Asian football will reach Asia and the world. Vietnamese football and Southeast Asian football will work together for common development," Lee emphasised.

Tuấn is currently chairman of the AFC Competition Committee for the 2023-2027 term, member of the AFC Asian Cup Organising Committee for the 2023-2027 term and chairman of the AFF Competition Committee for the 2022-2026 term and member of the AFF Finance Committee.

The men's football category has 23 teams divided into six groups (five groups of four teams and one group of three teams), competing from September 19.

Teams will compete in a round-robin format. The best and second best team in each group and the four best third-ranked teams in six groups will have the right to continue to the next round.

Meanwhile, the women's football has a total of 17 teams and is divided into five groups (three groups of three teams and two groups of four teams), competing from September 25.

Teams will compete in a round-robin format. The first-ranked team in each group and the three best second-placed teams will qualify for the quarter-finals.

The Vietnamese Olympic men's team are in Group B with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Mongolia. The Vietnamese women's team are in Group D with defending champions Japan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Vietnamese Olympic team recently gathered at the Việt Nam Youth Football Training Centre on September 7 under the guidance of coach Hoàng Anh Tuấn. They will leave for China on September 16.

The Vietnamese women's team have been together in Hà Nội since August 11. They have had three weeks of training in the northern port city of Hải Phòng to prepare for the Asian event. They will leave for China on September 19. — VNS