Football 

VFF staff conduct a draw for the National U17 Football Championship on June 25 in Hà Nội. Photos of VFF

HÀ NỘI -- Hosts Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu will play tough Sông Lam Nghệ An in the opening match of the National U17 Football Championship 2024 after a draw conducted on June 25 in Hà Nội.

The annual tournament features 12 teams which qualified for the finals by way of competitive games and who will be divided into three groups, competing from July 11 to 24.

Two strongest teams of each group and two best third-placed ones will qualify for the quarter-finals.

The championship is part of the national tournament system aiming to offer young players experience in training and improve their skills, hopefully creating resources for national teams in the future. 

VFF General Secretary Dương Nghiệp Khôi (left) and Thái Sơn Nam General Director Trần Anh Minh (right) at the National U17 Football Championship sponsorship signing ceremony on June 25 in Hà Nội.

At the ceremony the Việt Nam Football Federation also announced that Thái Sơn Nam Group Joint Stock Company will be the tournament's main sponsor.

"Thái Sơn Nam accompanied the National U17 Football Championship for eight consecutive years, from 2011 to 2019. After a short break, the company came back in 2023 and this year is the milestone of a tenth year that Thái Sơn Nam has supported the competition," said Dương Nghiệp Khôi, VFF general secretary.

"We hope that with the company support, along with the support of local media and football fans, this will be a successful championship with competitive matches of high quality. "

Thái Sơn Nam General Director Trần Anh Minh said the company wanted to help discover young talented players who would be core of the local clubs and national teams. 

He said the company was honoured to be selected as a VFF sponsor and hoped to be working alongside the U17 championship for many years to come. VNS