VFF delegation attends the 2025 ASEAN Football Federation Annual Congress
On 22 November, the 2025 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Annual Congress officially opened in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand, attended by representatives from AFF member associations, as well as officials from FIFA, AFC, and various international football organizations.
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Due to other commitments, FIFA President Gianni Infantino did not attend in person but sent a congratulatory message via video, expressing his confidence that the Congress would achieve positive outcomes and continue to promote the strong development of football in Southeast Asia.
The VFF delegation attending the Congress included Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien – Vice President, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoi – Standing Committee Member, and Mr. Nguyen Minh Chau – Deputy General Secretary. VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan attended the Congress in his capacity as an AFF Council Member. He also serves as a member of FIFA’s National Teams Competitions Committee for the 2025–2029 term, an Executive Committee member of the AFC, Head of the AFC Competitions Committee, and Head of the AFF Competitions Committee.
During the agenda, the delegates discussed and approved the 2025 activity report, budget, and several key initiatives aimed at improving the organization of regional competitions. AFF emphasized a strong focus on applying technology in competition management, expanding youth development programs, and strengthening cooperation with FIFA and AFC to optimize resources for technical support.
The Congress also approved the 2025–2026 competition calendar, including key tournaments such as the ASEAN Cup, the Southeast Asian Women’s Championship, the U23 ASEAN Cup, and the regional youth competitions for both boys and girls. In addition, it endorsed community football development programs, staff training initiatives, and social responsibility plans aimed at promoting the positive values of football in society.
At the Congress, VFF’s role continued to be highly regarded by AFF, particularly for its contributions to technical operations, competition management, and international cooperation. In his speech, AFF President Khiev Sameth personally thanked VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan for his significant contributions to the region’s football development, highlighting Vietnam’s notable achievements under his leadership, including winning the ASEAN Cup, securing the U23 Southeast Asia Championship for the third consecutive time, and having the Vietnamese women’s national team, alongside the Philippines, represent Southeast Asian women’s football at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which also serves as the qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup to be held in March in Australia.
Alongside its on-field achievements, VFF has continued to play an active and responsible role within the AFF community. This was highlighted by successfully hosting the 2025 Southeast Asian Women’s Championship, leaving a strong impression with its high-quality organization, facilities, and fan engagement.
Vietnam has also strengthened its standing at the continental level, with five national teams having qualified for the 2026 AFC Finals so far: the senior women’s team, U23 men’s team, national futsal team, U20 women’s team, and U17 women’s team. These accomplishments clearly demonstrate the coordinated development across all levels of national teams and reflect VFF’s long-term, comprehensive investment strategy. These results further affirm VFF’s commitment to actively supporting, responsibly contributing to, and proactively promoting the sustainable development of regional football in the coming period.
