Vietnam attends FIFA congress, builds ties with football powerhouses

Led by VFF president Tran Quoc Tuan, the delegation held meetings with leaders from international football organizations to promote strategic partnerships.

Among the key engagements was a meeting with Frank Paauw, the new president of the Royal Netherlands Football Association, and Gijs de Jong, the association's secretary general. 

The Dutch officials expressed interest in collaborating with Vietnam, especially in youth and women's football development. They indicated they would explore concrete initiatives in the near future.

The VFF also met with Andriy Shevchenko, president of the Ukrainian Association of Football and former international star. Discussions focused on potential programs to support the development of Vietnamese football.

One of the most notable meetings took place between Tuan and Ednaldo Rodrigues, president of the Brazilian Football Confederation. The two sides discussed implementing a memorandum of understanding signed in March during Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's visit to Vietnam.

The FIFA Congress brought together representatives from more than 200 member associations. This year's event marked the 100th anniversary of Paraguay's membership in FIFA and served as a forum for global football leaders to address the sport's most pressing issues.

Among the key decisions was the approval of an updated Disciplinary Code designed to improve the handling of racism and abuse. The measure will require close coordination from all 211 FIFA member associations.

The congress also approved new regulations for the 2026 World Cup and the 2025 Intercontinental Cup, aimed at ensuring the fair and effective organization of both tournaments.

In celebration of FIFA's 120th anniversary, a special exhibition in Asunción showcased historic trophies and memorabilia, including the Jules Rimet trophy, the FIFA Women's World Cup trophy, and the Copa America trophy. The display paid tribute to football's rich history while looking ahead to the sport's future.