VFF President Trần Quốc Tuấn Presents Award to ASIAD 2026 Champions
VFF President Trần Quốc Tuấn attended the men’s football final at ASIAD 2026 between Korea Republic U23 and Japan U23. In his capacity as Chairman of the Men’s Football Operations Committee at the Games, he also took part in the award ceremony for the champions.
The final, held at Toyota Stadium, featured defending champions Korea Republic U23 against hosts Japan U23. Roared on by more than 30,000 fans, the teams fought out a fiercely contested match, with Japan U23 enjoying several spells of control. But Korea Republic’s composure proved decisive.
In the 61st minute, Eom Ji-sung fired a left-footed shot into the top corner to score the match’s only goal. Korea Republic U23 held on to their 1-0 lead until the final whistle, further cementing their dominance in men’s football at the Asian Games.
Photo: KFA
With this victory, Korea Republic U23 claimed their fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal, following their triumphs in 2014, 2018 and 2022. Notably, on their run of four straight titles, they defeated Japan U23 in the final three times—in 2018, 2022 and 2026.
This was Korea Republic’s seventh gold medal in men’s football at the Asian Games, further strengthening their place in the history of the sport at the Games.
Tran Quoc Tuan, President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), AFC Executive Committee member and Chairman of the men’s football competition at the 2026 Asian Games, joined the medal ceremony for champions Korea Republic U23 and presented medals to members of the team
His appointment by the AFC to oversee men’s football at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games further reflects his standing and experience in organizing and managing continental football competitions. He previously held roles related to football operations at the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games.
The 2026 Asian Games concluded with a successful men’s football tournament. Korea Republic U23 made history by winning their fourth consecutive title, while hosts Japan U23 took silver.
Vietnam U23 were unable to spring an upset against Korea Republic, losing 4–0 in the quarter-finals. Although the team’s campaign ended there, head coach Dinh Hong Vinh’s side met its target of advancing from the group stage. The tournament also provided an opportunity to assess and test the squad ahead of important challenges to come.
