24 teams to compete in the Finals of the 2026 National U11 Football Championship – Nestlé MILO Cup
On the morning of April 6, *Thieu Nien Tien Phong va Nhi Dong* Newspaper, in coordination with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), held a press conference to announce the National U11 Football Championship. Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd. is the main sponsor of the tournament.
13/04/2026 15:15:33
Attending the event were Mr. Vu Van Chuc – Member of the Executive Committee and Deputy Head of the Youth Affairs Department of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee; writer and journalist Nguyen Phan Khue – Member of the Central Team Council, Editor-in-Chief of Thieu Nien Tien Phong va Nhi Dong Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee; Ms. Dinh Thi Thu Trang – Deputy General Secretary of the VFF and Co-Head of the Organizing Committee; Mr. Tran Hong Tien – Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak Province; and Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thao – Assistant Sports Activities Manager of the Nestlé MILO brand, Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd.
The press conference was also attended by two national team players, Do Duy Manh and Pham Tuan Hai, along with representatives of team management boards and young players from participating teams.
A major playground for Vietnamese youth football
After nearly three decades of organization, the National U11 Football Championship has become an important tournament in the national competition system for young players. Beyond being a competitive platform, it has served as a “cradle” for discovering and nurturing many talents for Vietnamese football, such as Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Quang Hai, Vu Van Thanh, Tran Dinh Trong, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Doan Van Hau, Nguyen Van Toan, Pham Tuan Hai, and Nguyen Hai Long.
In 2026, the qualifying rounds are divided into three regions: Dak Lak, Hai Phong, and Quang Ngai, taking place from early June to June 22. From these qualifiers, the best teams have been selected to advance to the finals.
Writer and journalist Nguyen Phan Khue – Member of the Central Team Council, Editor-in-Chief of Thieu Nien Tien Phong va Nhi Dong Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee – shared that the greatest joy for the organizers is witnessing generations of players who have grown from this tournament and gone on to bring pride to Vietnamese football. He also emphasized that the competition not only focuses on professional quality but also contributes to promoting physical training movements among children nationwide.
The Editor-in-Chief of Thieu Nien Tien Phong va Nhi Dong added: “A special highlight of this year’s tournament is the participation of 24 teams in the finals, an increase of eight teams compared to 2025.”
Spreading the spirit of sports, nurturing the younger generation
Having accompanied the tournament for many years, Nestlé Vietnam continues to be the main sponsor, demonstrating its long-term commitment to the development of school sports. The sponsor’s representative noted that, over 29 years of partnership, the tournament has not only expanded in scale but also strongly spread the spirit of sports within the community. More importantly, it provides an environment for children to improve their physical fitness, build active habits, and learn valuable qualities such as determination, resilience, and teamwork.
This year’s tournament continues to be well organized with a comprehensive awards system, including team honors such as champions, runners-up, joint third place, and the Fair Play Award; along with individual prizes such as Best Player, Top Scorer, Best Goalkeeper, and the Team of the Tournament.
The close coordination between the Organizing Committee, host localities such as Hai Phong, Quang Ngai, and Dak Lak, together with the support of clubs, media partners, and sponsors, has contributed to creating a professional and exciting tournament.
