Hanoi, 13 July, 2025 – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam has officially approved a comprehensive National Football Development Plan extending to 2030, with a vision toward 2045. A central highlight of the plan is the ambitious goal for the Vietnam men’s national football team to qualify for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
According to the proposal, football development is positioned as an integral part of the broader national sports strategy and plays a key role in Vietnam’s socio-economic development policies. All objectives, missions, and policies related to football must align with the country’s general strategic direction and the specific development orientations of each sector and locality.
The plan emphasizes sustainable development through grassroots participation, with targeted and focused investment. It also promotes the integration of modern science, sports medicine, and technology into talent identification and athlete training. The approach involves a combination of state resources and social mobilization, where the government plays a pivotal role in infrastructure development while encouraging private investment and societal involvement in elevating elite football.
Key Goals by 2030:
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Reform and perfect the talent identification and training system;
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Establish a strong connection between youth levels and professional clubs;
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Develop Vietnam into a leading football hub in Southeast Asia and Asia;
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Rank among the top 10 football nations in Asia by 2030.
Performance Targets by 2030:
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Men’s football: Medal at SEA Games 33 (2025), gold medals at SEA Games 34 (2027) and SEA Games 35 (2029).
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Women’s football: Gold medals at SEA Games 2025, 2027, and 2029.
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Asian Games (ASIAD): Men’s team to pass the group stage in 2026 and reach the quarterfinals in 2030; women’s team to reach the semifinals in both 2026 and 2030.
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AFC Asian Cup: Men’s team to reach the quarterfinals in 2031; women’s team to advance from the group stage in 2026 and reach the quarterfinals in 2030.
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Olympic and World Cup: Men’s team to reach the third qualifying round of World Cup 2030, qualify for the 2034 World Cup, and earn at least one Olympic berth (2028 or 2032). The women’s team aims to qualify for the 2027 and 2031 World Cups and at least one Olympic tournament in 2028 or 2032.
To achieve these goals, the plan outlines critical tasks, including:
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Promoting grassroots and school football by partnering with sports clubs and educational institutions to organize extracurricular football activities.
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Enhancing talent scouting and development through national selection programs, setting age-specific criteria, and aligning youth team training with the national team’s tactical system under the guidance of the national technical director.
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Reforming the youth competition system to ensure young players have a minimum of 20–30 matches annually.
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Introducing mandatory playing time quotas for youth players in professional leagues to boost the youth development pipeline.
The strategic vision reflects Vietnam’s growing ambition on the continental and global football stage, aiming not only for regional dominance but also for a breakthrough in world football’s most prestigious arenas.
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