During a cooperation signing ceremony on the afternoon of 11/6 in Pakse city, Champasak province, Mr. Duc committed to being the main sponsor for Champasak HAGL Avenir FC for three years. The HAGL owner also pledged 1,000 footballs for grassroots football in Champasak province.

The signing ceremony for investment cooperation between Champasak province, the Champasak Provincial Football Federation, Connected Sole Co. Ltd, and HAGL Group took place on the afternoon of 11/6 in Laos. *Photo: Anh Quoc*

Keolattana Sihavong, president of the Champasak Provincial Football Federation, expressed confidence that HAGL's investment would provide Champasak with stable financial resources to compete for the Lao League 1 championship against other strong clubs. "We are delighted and hope that the home matches in the new season will attract many fans to the stadium, turning the dream of winning the championship into reality", Mr. Keolattana said.

Additionally, at the request of the Lao Football Federation, HAGL will support the Lao national team's training at the Ham Rong Training Center in Gia Lai from 1-15/7, in preparation for the ASEAN Cup 2026. In this tournament, Laos is grouped with Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and the Philippines.

Mr. Duc entered the football scene in 2001 after acquiring the First Division team Gia Lai and renaming it Hoang Anh Gia Lai. With a strategy of investing heavily in a squad of star players, his team achieved initial success with two consecutive national championships in 2002 and 2003.

In 2007, he established the HAGL Arsenal - JMG Football Academy, which produced a generation of famous players such as Nguyen Cong Phuong, Luong Xuan Truong, Nguyen Tuan Anh, and Nguyen Van Toan.

During a corresponding period, the business direction of the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group also shifted continuously, from focusing on real estate during the 2009-2012 period, to sugarcane from 2013-2014, then cattle farming from 2015-2016, and more recently, fruit trees and livestock farming. Even during the most difficult times, including carrying tens of trillions of dong in debt, Mr. Duc never included HAGL FC in restructuring or divestment plans.

Despite success in youth training, HAGL often faces relegation battles in the V-League. In the recent 2025-2026 season, the team only managed to avoid relegation in the penultimate round after coming from behind to beat Ha Noi 3-1.

This is not the first time Mr. Duc has sponsored Lao football. During the 2011-2015 period, he established the Hoang Anh Attapeu team in Attapeu province, Southern Laos. He brought coaches, experts, and some players from Vietnam to help build the team. Hoang Anh Attapeu quickly became a powerhouse in Lao football. After finishing second in the 2013 season, the team won the 2014 Lao Premier League championship.

Since 2009, HAGL has spent USD 750,000 on Lao football, covering fees for foreign coaches to lead the neighboring country's national team and sponsoring the Lao League. Previously, HAGL also helped Laos build the Athletes' Village for the 2009 SEA Games, valued at USD 19 million, which included USD 4 million in non-refundable aid, with the remainder being an interest-free loan.

Champasak United was established in 2015 and later renamed Champasak Avenir in 2025 through a partnership between the Champasak Provincial Football Federation and Lee Dong Jun, CEO of South Korean company DJ Management. In the recent Lao League season, Champasak finished fourth among 10 participating teams.

Mr. Lee believes that the investment resources from Mr. Duc will help the team prepare better to compete for the championship next season. "Last season, despite many difficulties, we still finished in the top 4. So this season we will strive to win the championship and represent Laos in Asian club competitions", the South Korean businessman said.

Duc Dong