VFF and JFA continue to enhance their comprehensive cooperation program
The cooperation between the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Japan Football Association (JFA) has yielded significant achievements since the two sides first signed a partnership in 2014. This collaboration aims to improve the quality of Vietnamese football and foster cultural understanding and exchange between the two countries.
18/09/2024 11:26:50
Creating More Opportunities for the Development of Vietnamese Football
With the goal of mobilizing all available resources for the development of Vietnamese football, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has focused on expanding and strengthening cooperation with countries that have advanced football systems. This collaboration aims to help Vietnamese football get closer to international standards and enhance professionalism in areas such as: technical development, management and organization of tournaments, training exchanges, and friendly matches at various national team levels, as well as the exchange of human resources and support for high-quality football experts.
In this context, in 2014, the VFF signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with the Japan Football Association (JFA), covering many important aspects, including mutual cooperation and support at regional and international football forums; sharing and exchanging human resources for football development; providing training and competition support for national teams; recommending qualified coaches for national teams; exchanging management experiences in football and related legal issues; sharing operational and management experiences of top leagues such as J-League and V-League; and exchanging knowledge about sports medicine and rehabilitation methods, facilitating participation for coaches, referees, and football officials in workshops and conferences in each country.
Building on the achievements, in 2018, the comprehensive cooperation program between the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Japan Football Association (JFA) was extended, with the signing ceremony held at the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan. This significant event was honored by the presence of the Prime Ministers of both countries during the 10th Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo. In the renewed cooperation agreement, both federations continued to focus on key areas and promote mutual development, while agreeing to uphold the values and traditions of football, viewing it not only as an economic activity but also as a social tool for fostering international understanding.
Over the 10 years of implementing the cooperation program, the JFA has provided substantial support for Vietnamese football, including sending and introducing experienced and highly skilled experts to work in Vietnam. These experts have held important positions such as the head coach of the national team (Coach Miura Toshiya), Executive Director of V.League (Expert Kazuyoshi Tanabe), Technical Director of VFF (Yusuke Adachi and currently Takeshi Koshida), and head coach of the U19/U20 women’s national team (Expert Akira Ijiri). Additionally, the JFA has facilitated training and competition opportunities for both the men’s and women’s national teams and youth teams by regularly sending them to Japan for training and friendly matches, as well as coordinating with the VFF to organize grassroots football development activities in Vietnam.
Focusing on Targeted Programs for a New Phase
The year 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive cooperation between the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Japan Football Association (JFA). On this occasion, a new cooperation agreement will be signed on September 18, 2024. Based on an assessment of the current state of Vietnamese football and the ongoing collaborative efforts, this signing will prioritize targeted programs. Key areas of focus will include the development of women’s and youth football, promoting cooperation between V-League and J-League, creating opportunities for Vietnamese players to compete in J-League and vice versa, training and developing professional referees, and allowing high-level AFC and FIFA referees from both countries to officiate youth tournaments and international friendly matches held in Japan and Vietnam. Additionally, there will be enhanced collaboration in sports medicine and continued opportunities for youth teams from both nations to train and participate in international friendly tournaments.
Overall, the cooperation between the VFF and the JFA over the past decade has significantly improved the quality of Vietnamese football. The targeted collaborative directions for this new phase promise to bring further benefits to Vietnamese football in the future.
