Opening Ceremony of the 2026 National U21 Championship – FPT Play Cup
On the afternoon of 12 July, the Finals of the 2026 National U21 Championship – FPT Play Cup officially kicked off at the PVF Youth Football Training Centre, promising exciting and high-quality football action.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Sports Authority; Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoi, Standing Member of the VFF Executive Committee; Mr. Nguyen Van Phu, VFF General Secretary and Head of the Tournament Organising Committee; Mr. Nguyen Minh Chau, VFF Deputy General Secretary; Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Member of the VFF Refereeing Committee; and representatives of Dong Luc Sports Group.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, VFF General Secretary and Head of the Tournament Organising Committee Nguyen Van Phu emphasised the particularly important role of youth football in the long-term development strategy of Vietnamese football.
According to the VFF General Secretary, the National U21 Championship is not only an annual competition but also an ideal environment for discovering, training and developing young talent, providing a solid stepping stone for players before they move into professional football and represent the national teams.
General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu expressed his confidence that, with thorough preparations in both organisational and technical aspects, together with the teams’ determination and commitment to fair play and sportsmanship, this year’s tournament would deliver exciting, high-quality matches. The competition would thereby further affirm the important role of the national youth football competition system in providing a valuable talent pool for Vietnamese football.
On this occasion, General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu expressed his appreciation to the PVF Youth Football Training Centre, main sponsor FPT PLAY, supporting partners, press and media agencies, and the many fans whose continued support has made an important contribution to the overall success of the tournament.
The 2026 National U21 Championship Finals – FPT Play Cup features 12 teams divided into three groups. The teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with the eight best-performing teams advancing to the quarter-finals: the three group winners, three runners-up and the two best third-placed teams.
