Opening Ceremony of the ASEAN Police Football Open 2025
On the evening of July 9, the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Police Football Open 2025 took place at Hàng Đẫy Stadium in Hanoi.
Attending the ceremony were: Mr. Phạm Minh Chính – Member of the Politburo, Prime Minister of Vietnam; General Lương Tam Quang – Member of the Politburo, Minister of Public Security, and President of the Vietnam Public Security Sports Association; Lieutenant General Nguyễn Hồng Thái – Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of National Defense; Mr. Lê Quốc Minh – Member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhân Dân Newspaper; Major General Phạm Kim Đĩnh – Director of the Department of Political Affairs, Ministry of Public Security. Also present at the opening ceremony were Mr. Trần Quốc Tuấn – President of the Vietnam Football Federation; representatives from the embassies of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Australia; along with delegations participating in the tournament.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Minister Lương Tam Quang emphasized that the tournament is being held with the aim of spreading the spirit of unity, discipline, dedication, and inspiration associated with the “king of sports” – football. It also aims to strengthen solidarity and friendship among countries in the region and across the world, as well as between Vietnam and other nations, and between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the police and security forces of participating countries. The tournament seeks to promote close and effective cooperation among police and security forces in maintaining public order and safety, combating crime—especially transnational crime—for peace, security, safety, stability, and prosperity in the region and globally.
Minister Lương Tam Quang expressed his belief that the ASEAN Police Football Open 2025 would be a great success, offering fans exciting matches and beautiful goals, leaving a strong impression. He noted that the tournament demonstrates the solidarity and effective cooperation among police and security forces to protect the peaceful and happy lives of people and promote peace for all humanity. He also reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to being a reliable friend, a trustworthy partner, and an active, responsible member of the international community, consistently contributing to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region and the world.
The ASEAN Police Football Open 2025 is held in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Public Security Forces (August 19, 1945 – August 19, 2025) and the 20th anniversary of the All People’s National Security Protection Day (August 19, 2005 – August 19, 2025). The tournament is organized by the Ministry of Public Security, with the Department of Political Affairs as the lead agency, in collaboration with relevant units under the Ministry, the Vietnam Public Security Sports Association, the Vietnam Sports Administration, the Vietnam Football Federation, and Vietnam Television, with active support from various organizations and sponsors.
Exclusively designed for police and security forces from ASEAN countries and partner nations, the tournament is not only a platform for officers to improve physical fitness and team spirit but also a space to strengthen friendship and cooperation among the forces responsible for maintaining public order and security in the region. This year’s competition is organized to international standards, with meticulous preparations for operations, match venues, medical services, refereeing, and technical aspects. Participating teams feature high-quality, professionally trained players.
The tournament brings together eight teams from seven countries, including five teams from the ASEAN region (Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste), one guest team from outside the region (Australia), and two host teams from Vietnam.
Immediately after the opening ceremony, the match between Vietnam Public Security Team I and Thailand took place. At the same time, on the PVF Stadium pitch, Vietnam Public Security Team II faced Australia.
On July 9, in addition to the two matches featuring the host teams, other matches included Cambodia vs. Laos in the morning, and Singapore vs. Timor-Leste in the afternoon. As for the results, Cambodia defeated Laos 2-1, while Singapore drew 2-2 with Timor-Leste.
The ASEAN Police Football Open 2025 is divided into two groups:
The teams compete in a single round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals, followed by the final to determine the champion. The tournament takes place from July 7 to July 15, 2025. At the pre-tournament press conference, Coach Tống Anh Tuấn of Vietnam Public Security Team I stated: “We are fully prepared in the spirit of exchange, learning, and showcasing a positive image of Vietnam to international friends.” Meanwhile, Coach Apichart Puttaboon of Thailand expressed his hopes of becoming the “defending champion” if his team returns for the next edition of the tournament. |
