VFF Annual Congress 2021 term 8th (2018 – 2022)

The delegation included Mr. Le Khanh Hai – Member of Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee, Chairman of the Office of the President, VFF President; Mr. Hoang Dao Cuong – Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; Mr. Tran Duc Phan – Deputy General Director of Sports and Physical Training Department; Major Ho Sy Niem – Deputy Director of the Criminal Police Department, Ministry of Public Security; Mr. Pham Trung Giang – Deputy Director of the Department of Non-Governmental Organizations, Ministry of Home Affairs. On the VFF’s side, the delegation included: Mr. Trần Quốc Tuấn – VFF Vice Permanent President; Mr. Cao Văn Chóng – VFF Vice President; Mr. Le Van Thanh – VFF Vice President; Mr. Trần Anh Tú – Member of the VFF Executive Committee; former presidents: Mr. Trần Duy Ly, Mr. Nguyễn Trọng Hỷ.

Attending also were members of the Executive Committee, functional committees, the National Coach Council, member organizations of VFF, the General Secretariat, and representatives of the units affiliated to VFF.

The entire content and program of the Congress were broadcast on an internal platform for representatives of FIFA, AFC, and AFF to monitor and supervise.

Before proceeding with the main contents of the agenda, the Congress voted unanimously to terminate the membership of Phu Yen Football Club, Kim Toan Da Nang Futsal Club; at the same time, agreed to admit 05 member organisations, including Hoa Binh Provincial Football Association, Hoa Binh Football Club, Phu Tho Football Club, Futsal Club Hung Gia Khang Dak Lak and Futsal Club Quang Nam, thereby increase the total number of the current member organisation of VFF is 81 units.

In the opening speech of the Congress, VFF President Le Khanh Hai assessed that in 2021, Vietnamese football continued to face many difficulties, due to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the good news is that the members of Vietnamese football have continued to promote the sense of responsibility and collective will to actively develop plans and measures to remove difficulties in the best and most effective way for the Vietnamese football’s operation in 2021, in which priority is the key goals to be achieved, making a positive contribution to the success of Vietnamese football, in which it has to mention the achievements of the national team when participating in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Asian 3rd Qualifiers for the first time, the national futsal team is also the second time in history to participate in the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup. These achievements have been recognized by the Government and delighted football fans in the country.

VFF President Le Khanh Hai emphasized that after the impressive achievements of Vietnamese football in the international arena, the pressure from fans’ expectations will be greater and greater. Therefore, based on the achieved results, as well as the forecast of difficulties and challenges in 2022, Mr. Le Khanh Hai suggested the members contribute ideas and work together to find out solutions and measures for the development of Vietnamese football, ensuring the success of the targets.

With the spirit of expeditious and responsible work, the Congress unanimously approved the reports presented at the Congress, including Report on the operation of VFF Inspection Committee in 2021; Report of VFF Executive Committee in 2021; Report summarizing the work in 2021 and the direction in 2022 of VFF; Report on assessment of professional work of national teams at international tournaments in 2021 and some key tasks in 2022; Report on the plan to compete in the National Professional Football Tournaments in 2022; The VFF financial statements for 2020 have been audited; Report on financial and sponsorship of VFF in 2021.

The congress also agreed on the direction of 2022 with key targets: Continue to closely follow the organisation and implement the missions according to the Vietnam Football Development Strategy to 2020, with a vision to 2030 had been approved by the Prime Minister; Continue to focus on developing youth football and creating stability for the professional football system. These are two decisive factors for the sustainable development of Vietnamese football; Stabilize and develop the system of non-professional tournaments, especially the National Division 2 and 3 to gradually create stability for the professional league system; Contribute the action plans of national teams in accordance with the schedule of domestic tournaments, ensure good human resources for the preparation toward the international tournaments, in which the focus is on the remaining matches of the national team in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Asian 3rd Qualifier, AFF Suzuki Cup 2022, AFC Asian Women’s Cup 2022, AFF U23 Championship 2022, ASIAD 19 and SEA Games 31 host by Vietnam in May 2022.

The Congress also unanimously approved the personnel of the VFF Executive Committee term 8th (2018 – 2022) according to the provisions of VFF Regulation, as follows:

– Mr. Le Khanh Hai ceased to hold the position of President of Vietnam Football Federation, term 8th (2018 – 2022);

– Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan – VFF Vice Permanent President assumes the position of VFF Acting President until the President is elected at the VFF Congress term 9th (2022 – 2026).

In the resignation speech before the Congress, Member of Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee, Chairman of the Office of the President Le Khanh Hai shared: “I always keep in mind that, in the results of performing my responsibilities as the President of VFF, there is always the agreement, support, and effort of the partners in the Standing Executive Committee, the intellectual promotion of the collective of the Executive Committee and the advisory agencies. I especially express my gratitude to the trust and consensus of the Member Organisations in all decisions related to the operation and development of Vietnamese football. It is a constant motivation, urge to support, and encourage me to overcome all difficulties. I also believe that my successor according to the provisions of the Regulation will fulfill the role of Acting President in the remaining year of the term 8th, thereby creating a favorable premise towards new plans, new ambitions for the VFF Congress, term 9th (2022-2026)”.

Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan – VFF Acting President term 8th (2018-2022) thanked the Congress for the trust of the Congress as well as authorities, VFF Executive Committee, and President Le Khanh Hai. VFF Acting President Tran Quoc Tuan affirmed that he will continue to work with the Standing Executive Committee as well as all members of the committee to promote the achievements of Vietnamese football; uphold the spirit of solidarity, togetherness, determination to strive, make every effort for the development of Vietnamese football in the coming period, to meet the expectation of the Government and Vietnam’s fans.

Attending and giving direction at the Congress, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong highly appreciated the efforts of the VFF Executive Committee and member organisations as well as the attention and investment from localities, sponsors, and football fans across the country in the development of Vietnamese football in 2021. Despite being heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with dynamism and effective solutions, Vietnamese football maintains the operation and achieves encouraging achievements in many fields of work.

In order to extend the development of Vietnam’s football in the coming time, Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong suggested VFF continue to closely coordinate with the General Department of Physical Training and Sports to implement important guidelines and policies of the Government on the development of Vietnamese football, in which the focus is on formulating an implementation plan of the Vietnam Football Development Strategy, from now to 2030, completing the Grassroots Football Project in the period of 2022 – 2030 with the goals, tasks, and solutions to develop our country’s football in accordance with current practical conditions and circumstances, serves as a basis for planning the development of football in the country.

Deputy Minister Hoang Dao Cuong also directed VFF to strengthen the direction and strict management of the national teams to reach high achievements in the region and continent in the coming years. In particular, it is necessary to pay great attention to investing in the U23, Women’s Football, and Futsal teams to successfully participate in the competition and achieve the goals set out at the 31st SEA Games hosted by Vietnam (Successfully defending the top in the region for men’s and women’s football, and at the same time, the Futsal team strives to be present in the 31st SEA Games Final match).

The Deputy Minister believes that VFF will continue to promote the achievements, unite, and determine to strive for the development of Vietnamese football in the coming time, reaching the expectations of the fans.