The Congress was attended by representatives of AFF member organizations, leaders of FIFA, AFC and international football organizations. This is an important event to evaluate activities during the year, agree on development plans and strategic orientations for the next phase of regional football.
Due to his busy work schedule, FIFA President Gianni Infantino did not attend in person, but sent a congratulatory message via video. FIFA leaders highly appreciated the AFF's efforts in maintaining a stable tournament system, and expressed their confidence that the 2025 Congress will continue to strongly develop Southeast Asian football.
The delegation of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) attending the Congress included Vice President Nguyen Trung Kien, Standing Member of the Executive Committee Nguyen Quoc Hoi and Deputy General Secretary Nguyen Minh Chau. VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan attended the Congress as a member of the AFF Council, and at the same time a member of the FIFA National Team Competition Committee for the 2025-2029 term, a Standing Member of AFC, Head of AFC Competition and Head of AFF Competition.
In the working program, the Congress discussed and approved the 2025 performance report, financial plan and many initiatives focusing on improving the quality of regional tournaments. AFF emphasizes the orientation of applying technology to manage and operate competitions, develop youth talent training programs, as well as strengthen coordination with FIFA and AFC to optimize professional support resources.
The Congress also approved the competition schedule for the 2025-2026 period, including the ASEAN Cup, the Southeast Asian Women's Championship, the U23 ASEAN Cup and the system of youth tournaments for men and women. In addition, there are community football development programs, staff training and activities in the field of social responsibility to spread the positive value of football in life.
Recognizing the contributions of member Federations, AFF President Khiev Sameth presented medals to Federations with outstanding contributions, including VFF, especially related to the friendly match between "Southeast Asian Stars" and Manchester United.
The role of VFF continues to be highly appreciated by AFF, especially in professional work and competition organization. AFF President Khiev Sameth has made a mark on Vietnamese football with the ASEAN Cup championship, 3 consecutive Southeast Asian U23 championships, and the Vietnam and Philippines women's teams qualifying for the 2026 Asian finals.
In parallel with the achievements on the pitch, VFF continues to demonstrate the responsibility of an active member in the AFF system. In 2025, Vietnam successfully hosted the Southeast Asian Women's Football Championship, which was highly appreciated for the quality of organization and support from fans. Up to now, Vietnam has had 5 teams qualified for the 2026 Asian finals including: National Women's Team, U23 Men's Team, Men's Futsal Team, U20 Women's Team and U17 Women's Team. This is a testament to the comprehensive development of the national team lines, reflecting VFF's long-term investment strategy.
With the achieved results, the AFF 2025 Congress continues to affirm the role of LVFF in accompanying and actively contributing to the sustainable development of regional football in the coming time.
