FIFA–VFF Amateur Football Environment Analysis Workshop: Shaping the Future of Grassroots Football in Vietnam
On the morning of 25 June, at the headquarters of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), the VFF, in collaboration with FIFA, organized the FIFA–VFF Amateur Football Environment Analysis Workshop to assess the current landscape of grassroots football in Vietnam and discuss strategic directions for its future development.
01/07/2026 16:37:32
Speaking at the workshop, VFF General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú emphasized that grassroots football forms the foundation of the country’s football ecosystem. He noted that the national teams are built upon a talent pool that originates from community football centres and amateur football activities. Therefore, the development of grassroots football is of strategic importance to the sustainable growth of Vietnamese football in the years ahead.
The VFF General Secretary also acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts made by VFF member associations and community football centres in maintaining and promoting grassroots football across the country.
Representing FIFA, football development expert Aris Caslib said that FIFA is working closely with the VFF to conduct an in-depth analysis of the amateur football environment across its member associations. The data collected through this study will provide an important foundation for developing strategies that are tailored to the realities and specific needs of football development in Vietnam.
In his presentation, Chokey Nima introduced FIFA’s research reporting framework, which consists of a global report and individual reports tailored to each member association. According to FIFA’s findings, grassroots and amateur football accounts for 99% of all football activity worldwide, while professional football represents less than 1%.
These findings are based on an extensive research project conducted across 185 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, incorporating nearly 3,000 survey responses, more than 800 interviews, and thousands of data collection forms that were compiled and analysed.
The FIFA experts emphasized that the effective development of grassroots football depends on four key pillars: participants, football activities, people delivering the game, and appropriate development strategies.
Through FIFA’s “Amateur Football Universe” model, the experts highlighted that there are currently around 28 million officially registered football players worldwide, while the number of people participating in football at the grassroots and recreational level is estimated at approximately 300 million. In addition, the global average stands at 59 football pitches per one million inhabitants, underscoring the importance of accessible playing facilities in expanding participation.
At the workshop, Aris Caslib also presented FIFA’s preliminary assessment of the current state of grassroots football in Vietnam. According to the findings, grassroots football remains fragmented, with limited coordination among competitions, schools, and relevant stakeholders. This lack of an integrated structure may result in talented young players being overlooked during the talent identification and development process.
He also noted that the number of qualified coaches holding recognised coaching licences remains limited and is significantly below the global average, highlighting an important area for future development.
Based on the findings of the analysis, FIFA recommended that the VFF continue developing a centralized football database, strengthen connectivity among all stakeholders within the grassroots football ecosystem, and expand long-term education and development programmes for coaches and football administrators.
In addition, the development of school football and the promotion of greater female participation in community football activities were identified as key priorities for the next phase of grassroots football development in Vietnam.
Through the workshop, FIFA expressed its hope that the VFF and local football stakeholders will be better equipped to formulate development strategies tailored to the needs of amateur football in Vietnam. These efforts are expected to provide a solid foundation for the long-term growth of professional football and Vietnam’s national teams.
FIFA also reaffirmed its commitment to continuing its close cooperation with and support for the VFF in developing, refining, and implementing strategies for grassroots and amateur football, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of Vietnamese football in the years to come.
