Vietnamese referee Ngô Duy Lân. — Photo baogialai.com.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese referee Ngô Duy Lân has been selected by FIFA, the global governing body of football, to officiate in the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

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

Lân's recent officiating duties include managing the first-leg match on October 25 between Kitchee SC Club of China’s Hong Kong and Bangkok United Club of Thailand, as part of a Group F fixture in the Asian Football Confederation (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 Việt Nam, Lân holds the position of a senior referee of the AFC and is regularly appointed to officiate official tournaments organized by the AFC.

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

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

Alongside talented veterans such as goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm, defenders Quế Ngọc Hải, Đỗ Duy Mạnh, Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh, midfielders Đỗ Hùng Dũng, Nguyễn Hoàng Đức, Nguyễn Tuấn Anh, and strikers Phạm Tuấn Hải, Nguyễn Văn Toàn, and Nguyễn Tiến Linh, Troussier has also included promising young players who have previously trained with the team, such as Khuất Văn Khang, Hoàng Văn Toản, Nguyễn Thái Sơn, and Giáp Tuấn Dương.

The team will train locally from November 6 to 13 before departing for Manila, the Philippines, where they will play their opening qualifying match.

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

Although Iraq pose a significant challenge, the Vietnamese team have a strong chance of achieving positive results against the remaining two opponents, Indonesia and the Philippines, with the aim of securing second place in their group. — VNS