Saudi Arabia, 5 January 2026 – The Asian Football Confederation has officially announced the match officials for the opening Group A fixture between U23 Vietnam and U23 Jordan at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026. South Korean referee Choi Hyun Jai will take charge as the main referee for the match.
Assisting Choi Hyun Jai will be fellow Koreans Jang Jongpil and Cheon Jinhee as assistant referees, while VAR duties will also be handled by a South Korean official, Kim Woosung.
Choi Hyun Jai began his refereeing career in 2019 and earned FIFA international referee status just one year later. Since then, he has built a solid reputation by officiating in Korea’s domestic competitions as well as major AFC tournaments across Asia.
Notably, Choi Hyun Jai is no stranger to Vietnamese football. At SEA Games 31, he was the referee for the match in which U23 Vietnam defeated Indonesia 3–0 under head coach Park Hang-seo.
He has since officiated several memorable matches involving Vietnam, including the U23 Southeast Asian Championship 2023 final, the Vietnam national team’s 1–1 draw with India in October 2024, and most recently the 1–0 victory over Nepal in October 2025 in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers—appointments that have generally left positive impressions among Vietnamese fans.
Ha Phan
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