FIFA President Gianni Infantino (centre) and VFF President Trần Quốc Tuấn (left) with VFF General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú at a recent meeting. — Photo courtesy of the VFF

Football

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's flexible approach to foreign relations in the football world will help advance strategic goals in developing the sport and enhance the standing of Vietnamese football on the global stage.

A notable achievement for the sport in Việt Nam is the appointment of three official representatives to key FIFA professional committees for the 2025-2027 term. 

Specifically, President of the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) Trần Quốc Tuấn serves as a Standing Committee Member in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and a member of the FIFA National Team Competitions Committee. 

VFF General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú is a member of both the AFC Medical Committee and the FIFA Medical Committee, while VFF Deputy General Secretary Nguyễn Thanh Hà will represent the federation on the FIFA Women's Club Football Committee as a member of the AFC Women's Football Committee.

This recognition underscores the prestige of Vietnamese football and its representation within the global football community. It confirms Việt Nam's increasingly prominent position in the international football system.

The VFF continues to expand its collaborative relations with football federations and organisations worldwide. Federation leaders have signed numerous memoranda of cooperation with esteemed partners, including La Liga (Spain), Bundesliga (Germany) and the football federations of Japan, China, Norway, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

A highlight of these efforts was the Memorandum of Cooperation between the VFF and the Brazilian Football Confederation. This agreement was signed at the Presidential Palace in the presence of high-ranking leaders from both countries, opening new avenues for collaboration with one of the world's premier football nations. 

Additionally, the VFF has established exchanges and cooperation with several embassies in Việt Nam, including those from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Spain and China, along with associations like the Việt Nam-Portugal Friendship Association and the Việt Nam-Thailand Friendship Association.

Through these cooperation agreements, the VFF and its partners enhance collaboration across various areas. They focus on exchanging coaches, referees and experts; organising training camps and friendly matches for men’s, women’s, youth and futsal teams; and sharing management expertise in professional football.

By effectively using self-funded resources and support from FIFA, AFC and international partners, the VFF facilitates approximately 10 international training and competition trips for national teams each year. 

These trips, which occurred in Japan, Germany, China and the Middle East in 2025, have played a crucial role in enhancing professional quality and international competitive skills.

In a landmark development, FIFA has approved the VFF's participation in the Women's Football Development Programme. 

For the first time, Vietnamese women's football will trial professional club licensing for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 seasons, officially commencing in the 2028 season. The national women's championship will also adopt a home-and-away format starting in the 2026-2027 season.

The VFF is also implementing the UEFA/AFC-funded Women's Football Development Project, which was launched in June. 

This project aims to professionalise the league system, develop youth training, enhance the quality of female coaches and referees and expand school football. 

Experts from FIFA, UEFA and AFC have praised this initiative, noting its significant contribution to the systematic, sustainable and internationally integrated development of Vietnamese women's football.

Meanwhile, the VFF continues to promote and host international tournaments. In 2025, several tournaments under the AFC and AFF systems were held in Việt Nam. 

These events were marked by safety and professionalism, receiving positive feedback from regional and continental football organisations. Regularly hosting international tournaments not only elevates the VFF's prestige, but also enhances Việt Nam's global image through sports.

Foreign affairs and international relations this year play a pivotal role in expanding cooperation, improving Việt Nam's position and deepening integration within regional and global football. This will lay a solid foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnamese football in the future. VNS