Hanoi, 17 Oct 2026 – Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has been shortlisted for the AFC Member Association of the Year – Diamond Award at the AFC Awards Bangkok 2026, alongside the football associations of Thailand and China.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced the nominees for its annual awards, with Vietnam among three contenders for the Diamond category. The VFF will compete against the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) and the Chinese Football Association (CFA) for the distinction, which recognises outstanding contributions by member associations to the development of football across Asia.
The nomination comes after a year in which Vietnam hosted several international football tournaments and continued expanding its football development programmes.
During 2026, the country staged a number of AFC competitions, including the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers and AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in Phu Tho, as well as AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifying matches in Hanoi and Hung Yen. Ho Chi Minh City also hosted matches in the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26.
These events formed part of Vietnam’s efforts to strengthen its role in organising international football competitions while providing opportunities for domestic teams and players to gain experience at continental level.
Women’s football development has also remained a priority for the VFF. Among the initiatives implemented during the year was an U14 Girls’ Football Festival, aimed at encouraging participation and supporting the development of young female players.
The federation also worked with FIFA to organise a capacity-building workshop for women’s football administrators, focusing on improving management expertise and supporting the long-term growth of the women’s game.
Beyond the Diamond category, the AFC has revealed nominees for other Member Association of the Year distinctions, including the Platinum, Gold and Ruby awards. Additional categories recognise achievements in grassroots football development and the contributions of regional football associations.
The AFC Awards Bangkok 2026 ceremony is scheduled for November 19 at the Aksra Theatre King Power in Bangkok, Thailand.
This will mark the second time Thailand has hosted the annual event, following its previous staging in Bangkok in 2017.
The 30th edition of the AFC Awards will honour individuals, teams and member associations whose performances, achievements and contributions have helped advance Asian football over the past year.
For the VFF, the Diamond Award nomination provides recognition of its activities in international tournament organisation, football administration and development programmes. The federation will now await the results of the awards ceremony, where the winner will be announced alongside recipients in the other categories.
VSN/RPT
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