Mr. Adisak Benjasiriwan - Vice President of FAT in charge of futsal and beach soccer will be present at the headquarters of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to directly apologize for the incident of displaying the Vietnamese flag incorrectly at the draw for the 2025 Southeast Asian U19 men's futsal tournament.
According to the announcement from FAT, Mr. Adisak was authorized by Chairman FAT Nualphan Lamsam (Madam Pang) to lead the working group to Vietnam. Accompanying him were Head of the FAT International Department and two Secretaries of Madam Pang. The meeting with VFF leaders including President Tran Quoc Tuan and General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu will take place at 2:00 p.m. on the same day.
The FAT side affirmed its always respect for member states as well as national symbols, and expressed deep regret for the recent serious mistakes. Immediately after the incident, FAT established an independent investigation committee to clarify the cause and determine the responsibility of the individuals and units involved. Initial results show that the mistake came from the organization of the draw ceremony, not FAT's policy or intention.
In an official apology to VFF and the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), Chairman FAT Madam Pang emphasized that this was "a human error, absolutely not intending to offend Vietnam".
She also affirmed that FAT will coordinate closely with all parties to prevent similar incidents, maintain the spirit of solidarity and respect among football backgrounds in the region.
