Football 

VFF conducts a draw for the National U17 Football Championship -- Thái Sơn Nam Cup 2025 on September 8 in Hà Nội. Photos courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — The National U17 Football Championship — Thái Sơn Nam Cup 2025 — is set to kick off in HCM City from September 14 to 26, with 12 clubs competing for local pride and the chance to shine on the national stage.

Following a draw in Hà Nội on September 8, the teams were divided into three groups of four. Group A includes HCM City FC, Hà Nội Police, Nam Định and Đà Nẵng. Group B features Becamex HCM City, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, Hà Nội and Sông Lam Nghệ An. Group C comprises HCM City, An Giang, PVF-CAND and Thể Công Viettel.

The group stage will be played in a round-robin format at Bà Rịa Stadium. The three group winners and the best second-placed team will advance to the quarter-finals.

The Việt Nam Football Federation and VTVCab will broadcast selected matches live on the Onfootball and Onsports channels as well as the VFF’s YouTube channel.

Earlier on September 8, the VFF announced and praised Thái Sơn Nam Group Joint Stock Company as the tournament’s title sponsor.

“The U17 championship plays a key role in the national football training and competition system. It is an important playing ground for young players aged 16-17 to sharpen their technique and gain experience for their future careers,” said VFF General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú.

“Clubs and training centres nationwide can also review their systems, identify talents and nurture them to become football stars. National scouts will pick the best players for the squad that will compete in the Asian championship qualification in November in Hà Nội.”

Phú thanked Thái Sơn Nam Company for their strong support in developing Việt Nam’s youth football and expressed hope for a long-lasting partnership.

VFF and Thái Sơn Nam representatives at the sponsor announcement ceremony on September 8.

It is the third year in a row that the company has supported the tournament, following an eight-year partnership from 2011 to 2018.

In response, Thái Sơn Nam General Director Trần Anh Minh said: “The youth tournaments are useful playgrounds for young players. They can practice and improve their ability, tactics as well as their competitive mentality.

"The National U17 Football Championship is an important tournament because this is the pivotal age for them to mature and compete in the most professional environment of Vietnamese football later on.

"We are very honoured to be the sponsor of the competition as our desire is to meaningfully contribute to national football, especially youth football. We hope that the championship will be a solid launching pad, contributing to the development of Vietnamese national teams in the future." —VNS