Closing of the Referees’ Training Course for the 2026 National Women’s and Youth Football Competitions
After four days of intensive training, on the afternoon of January 5, the referees’ training course for the 2026 national women’s and youth football competitions officially concluded at the headquarters of the Vietnam Football Federation.
The closing ceremony was attended by Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoi, Standing Member of the VFF Executive Committee; Mr. Nguyen Van Phu, General Secretary of the VFF; and Mr. Dang Thanh Ha, Head of the VFF Referees Committee.
The training course successfully fulfilled its objectives of reviewing officiating work from the 2025 season, updating new points of the Laws of the Game, and enhancing professional skills and physical fitness for the refereeing team ahead of the 2026 season.
Representing the course instructors, Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien reported that in the theoretical examinations, 100% of the referees were rated as good or excellent, while in the physical fitness tests, 65 out of 66 referees met the required standards. The remaining case was unable to complete the test due to not having fully recovered from an injury.
These results demonstrated the serious preparation and positive training attitude of the referees participating in the course.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoi, Standing Member of the VFF Executive Committee, extended New Year 2026 greetings to the referees, instructors and all units involved in the training course. He emphasized that the course not only helped improve professional quality but also clearly demonstrated the refereeing team’s sense of discipline, willingness to learn and sense of responsibility toward the national women’s and youth football competitions.
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoi acknowledged and highly appreciated the dedication of the instructors, whose valuable professional insights made an important contribution to the overall success of the program. According to him, women’s football and youth football play a foundational role, making practical contributions to the sustainable development and future successes of Vietnamese football; in this context, refereeing is a key factor in ensuring professionalism, fairness and a positive image for the competitions.
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoi stated that the VFF leadership expects referees to continue proactively learning and enhancing their professional competence, composure and match management skills. He also affirmed that the VFF will continue to pay close attention, invest and create the best possible conditions to further improve the quality of refereeing, meeting the increasingly high demands of the national women’s and youth football competitions in the 2026 season and beyond.
After the conclusion of the training course, 10 referees and assistant referees will be assigned to officiate matches at the National U19 Women’s Football Championship – ACECOOK Cup 2026. The remaining referees and assistant referees will continue to carry out their duties at other competitions throughout 2026.
