Futsal

Players seen in training in HCM City. Việt Nam will compete in the AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup next May in China, seeking for a place in the first Women's World Cup in the same year in the Philippines. Photos of Thái Sơn Nam Womens' FC

Thanh Hà

Despite limited opportunities to compete both at home and abroad, Việt Nam’s women futsal players are aiming for a spot at the 2025 World Cup, the largest indoor football tournament in the world.

Women's futsal in Việt Nam receives even less attention than women's football. With a lack of players and clubs, the national championship only features one official tournament a year, and this year only four teams participated.

International exposure for the national team is also minimal, with most of their experience coming from friendly competitions. Despite these challenges, the squad is exceptional, ranking second in Southeast Asia, fourth in Asia, and 13th in the latest FIFA rankings.

These achievements, combined with their determination, form the foundation of their dream to qualify for their first-ever World Cup.

Players of Thái Sơn Nam and Phong Phú Hà Nam in action during the National Women's Futsal Championship 2024.

FIFA has officially added the Women's Futsal World Cup to its competition calendar, aiming to expand the sport's reach and ensure its steady global development.

The inaugural tournament will be held in the Philippines next year, with 16 teams participating, including the host nation and teams that qualify through continental tournaments.

The Vietnamese national team has been preparing for the AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup since June. Their goal is to finish in the top three at the May 7-18 tournament in China, securing a spot at the World Cup.

Currently, Iran, Japan and Thailand rank above Việt Nam in Asia, with these four teams expected to compete for the World Cup slots. Other potential rivals include Indonesia and Uzbekistan.

Following a recent training camp and friendly matches, coach Nguyễn Đình Hoàng expressed optimism about his team's progress.

“My players have executed our tactics well and significantly improved their style of play,” said Hoàng.

“We have a solid core from national champions Thái Sơn Nam FC, supplemented by talent from other clubs. This continuity has allowed us to focus on refining our strategies.”

Vietnamese futsal players have a few chances to compete as there is only one national championship held annually.

The team’s hard work paid off as they finished second at the CFA Lanzhou Olympics Cup in China in July, and claimed the title at the NSDF Women’s Futsal Championship in Thailand last month. These achievements have boosted their confidence ahead of the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifications.

National support for futsal’s growth

The Asian Cup will mark the Vietnamese women’s futsal team’s first official competition since the 31st SEA Games in Hà Nội, where they won silver.

Having competed in two previous Asian Cups, Việt Nam exited in the group stage in 2015 but reached the semi-finals in 2018.

This time, the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) expects a medal finish, which would secure a World Cup place, mirroring the success of the men’s futsal team, which qualified in 2016 and 2021.

“We have a plan to develop women’s futsal nationwide, starting with building a competitive team at the regional and continental levels,” said VFF Vice President Trần Anh Tú.

“Despite many challenges, the VFF has successfully organised three national championships since 2022, and we have seen remarkable progress over these seasons. Players have gained valuable experience and honed their skills.”

Despite shortage of tournaments Việt Nam still manage world No 13 in the FIFA's latest ranking list.

Tú highlighted the importance of the team’s recent success, particularly their title win in Thailand, and emphasised that the VFF would fully support the team’s World Cup ambitions.

He, however, noted that further development is needed to ensure the long-term success of women’s futsal in Việt Nam.

“Currently, futsal—both men’s and women’s—is only played in a few localities such as HCM City, Hà Nội and Hà Nam,” he said.

“We need to work with other regions to increase the number of clubs and focus on youth training. Bringing futsal to schools and sports centres will help expand the sport’s reach.”

Tú also stressed the need for more qualified coaches and better training facilities, which are essential to nurturing top-level players. The current lack of adequate infrastructure and equipment has hindered the sport’s growth.

“We need sponsorship from businesses and strong support from fans to overcome these challenges,” he said.

Việt Nam win all matches to take title of the NSDF Women’s Futsal Championship 2024 in September in Thailand. Photo of FA Thailand

He added that larger audiences and higher prize money would provide strong motivation for players and clubs, leading to higher-quality tournaments.

“The VFF has developed a long-term strategy to expand the national tournament’s reach and improve match quality. As we continue to work hard, we hope to attract more attention to women’s futsal, providing a solid foundation for the national team’s development and international success,” Tú said. VNS

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