Coach Mai Duc Chung's contract with the VFF was set to expire on 31/12. However, yesterday, the Federation announced its decision to extend the contract for the coach, born in 1949, by four months, until the end of the Women's Asian Cup 2026 finals.

"We want to maintain continuity because there are just over two months until the tournament", VFF Vice President for Communications Nguyen Xuan Vu explained at this afternoon's press conference. "The Federation has prepared for a replacement after Mr. Chung steps down."

Coach Mai Duc Chung before Vietnam's loss to the Philippines in the penalty shootout of the SEA Games 33 women's football final at Chonburi Stadium in Thailand on 17/12. Photo: Duc Dong

The Women's Asian Cup 2026 also serves as a qualifier for the Women's World Cup 2027. If Vietnam secures a spot, the VFF and coach Mai Duc Chung may negotiate further, considering his professional capacity and health at 76 years old.

Mr. Chung has previously departed from the women's national team multiple times, only to return. A notable instance was the Women's Asian Cup 2022, where the team qualified for the World Cup 2023. At that time, the VFF persuaded the Hanoi-born coach to continue leading the team for the global tournament. After returning, Mr. Chung decided to retire, and the VFF held a ceremony to honor him. Yet, in 5/2024, he was invited back.

After winning a silver medal at SEA Games 33, the 76-year-old coach initially stated he would retire, then later changed his stance, awaiting negotiations with the VFF. Ultimately, he was asked to continue leading the team until the end of the Women's Asian Cup 2026.

Coach Hoang Van Phuc is a potential replacement candidate. The coach, born in 1964, previously managed Hanoi ACB, Quang Nam, and Sai Gon FC, all of which have since dissolved. In 2021, he joined the Hanoi Youth Football Training Center, and later served as technical director and interim coach for Hanoi FC. Since 2024, Mr. Phuc has been an assistant to coach Mai Duc Chung for the women's national team.

Previously, coach Akira Ijiri, who worked with Vietnam's youth women's teams from 2019-2024, was nominated. However, the deal did not materialize. VFF Vice President Nguyen Xuan Vu stated that Mr. Akira came to Vietnam as part of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnam Football Federation and the Japan Football Association (JFA). "The Japanese side deemed Mr. Akira unsuitable to lead the national team, and since there were no women's football tournaments in 2024, the VFF decided to re-sign coach Mai Duc Chung", Mr. Vu explained.

In addition, the VFF must also plan to find a coach to lead the men's team for ASIAD 20 in Japan in 9/2026. This period coincides with important FIFA days leading up to the Asian Cup 2027, requiring coach Kim Sang-sik to focus on preparing the national team.

The VFF proposed sending the U21 team to participate, instead of the "U23+3" format specified by the regulations, and is awaiting confirmation from the Department of Sports and Physical Training. The Federation's view is to accept not achieving high results at ASIAD, to provide players born from 2005 onwards with an opportunity to develop for the SEA Games at the end of 2027, followed by the U23 Asian Championship 2028 finals, which also serves as an Olympic qualifier that same year.

Furthermore, financial issues are a concern for the VFF, as seven national teams are participating in various Asian championships, not including the men's national team. One solution is to request additional budget support from the Department of Sports and Physical Training. In its report at the 2025 Annual Congress this morning, the VFF projected revenues of approximately 277 billion VND and expenditures of 270 billion VND.

Hieu Luong