Opening Ceremony of the Referees’ Training Course for the 2026 National Women’s Football and Youth Football Competitions
On the afternoon of January 2, 2026, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) held the opening ceremony of the referees’ training course for officials assigned to officiate at the 2026 national women’s football and youth football competitions. The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Nguyen Van Phu, General Secretary of the VFF, and Mr. Dang Thanh Ha, Chairman of the VFF Arbitration Committee.
06/01/2026 10:45:07
This year’s training course brings together a total of 66 referees and assistant referees, including 12 female referees, 14 female assistant referees, 4 assistant referees from non-professional competitions, 19 referees from youth competitions, and 17 assistant referees from youth competitions.
According to the plan, on January 3, participants will undergo physical fitness tests before proceeding with the technical and professional sessions. The training course will run through January 5, 2026.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dang Thanh Ha, Chairman of the VFF Arbitration Committee, emphasized the role, responsibilities and spirit of dedication required of those working in refereeing. He noted that for each participant, their professional journey truly begins from this moment, and that in order to succeed, sacrifice alone is not enough; referees must continuously strive to improve their technical expertise, physical fitness and professional resilience.
The Chairman of the VFF Arbitration Committee also expressed his expectation that the participants would approach the course with a positive and serious attitude, regarding it as essential preparation for pursuing a professional and effective refereeing career.
On behalf of the VFF leadership, General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu acknowledged and highly appreciated the role of refereeing in the recent outstanding achievements of Vietnamese football, particularly its contribution to creating high-quality competitive platforms for players and helping the youth national teams in 2025—such as the U17 men’s, U17 women’s and U20 teams—secure qualification for continental finals.
General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu affirmed that these results were made possible with significant contributions from match organization and officiating, in which referees play a crucial role as a key link in the overall system.
Mr. Nguyen Van Phu stated that immediately after the training course, national women’s and youth competitions—such as the National U19 Women’s Championship, the National U16 Women’s Championship, and the national men’s U17, U16, U15 and U13 tournaments—will be held continuously throughout 2026, requiring referees to be thoroughly prepared with strong professionalism, confidence and expertise.
The VFF leadership expressed the hope that referees, especially young officials, will continue to develop, seize opportunities, and transform the knowledge and experience gained from the training course into effective on-field performance, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of Vietnamese football in the coming years.
The 2026 referees’ training course for the national women’s and youth football competitions is expected to serve as an important starting point, helping the refereeing team enter the new season with a strong sense of responsibility, enhanced professional competence, and comprehensive preparation for their assignments in 2026.
