This regulation was approved after a recent meeting of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) and the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT).
Thus, at the 33rd SEA Games, participating teams will not be allowed to use the additional U22 slots and 3 players over 22 years old, which have been applied in many previous SEA Games. The host country's organizing committee said that this decision is considered to ensure sustainable development and create opportunities for young talents to have more chances to compete and develop, while creating a fairer playing field for all participating teams.
SEA Games 33 will take place from December 9 to 20, 2025 in Thailand, with all four football events: men's football, women's football, men's futsal and women's futsal.
At the most recent SEA Games held in 2023 in Cambodia, the rule of only using U22 players to compete in men's football was also applied.
Regarding the preparation plan for the 2025 SEA Games, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and coach Kim Sang-sik proactively developed a plan very early, the most obvious of which was the call-up of many players of SEA Games age to the national team during the FIFA Days in 2024.
Most recently, in September 2024, the Vietnam U22 team was also given the opportunity to gather, train and participate in an international friendly tournament in China.
Next, in the preparation process for the ASEAN Cup 2024, young players with the potential to become the core of the squad participating in the SEA Games were also able to participate in training with the team, such as goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien, midfielder Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Van Truong, Nguyen Thai Son, striker Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Quoc Viet, Bui Vi Hao, among them there are players who even entered the field to compete in the ASEAN Cup 2024 such as Khuat Van Khang, Bui Vi Hao and had very good performances.
U22 Vietnam is completely confident about its preparation plan and ability to compete at SEA Games 33.
Along with the preparation of the force, VFF will continue to closely coordinate with VPF Company in arranging the competition schedule for the 2025 season, on the principle of ensuring the best for the team and harmonizing and balancing the interests of the clubs. Basically, the U22 team will continue to be facilitated to gather and train at the same time as the national team's FIFA Days.
According to the plan, at the first gathering in 2025 on the occasion of FIFA Days next March, the Vietnam U22 team will participate in the international U22 football tournament in China, with the participation of 4 U22 teams, including host U22 China, U22 Vietnam and two other quality guest U22 teams that will be officially announced by the organizing committee in the near future.
