Vietnamese referee called to manage World Cup qualifiers

Vietnam's FIFA referee Ngo Duy Lan during a V. League match. Photo by VnExpress/Hieu Luong

Lan will take charge of the match between Pakistan and Tajikistan, scheduled to take place on Nov. 21 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Lan's recent officiating duties include managing the first-leg match on Oct. 25 between Kitchee SC Club of China's Hong Kong and Bangkok United Club of Thailand, as part of a Group F fixture in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League.

He will also oversee the second-leg match between the same teams, which is set to take place on Nov. 8 in Bangkok, Thailand.

As one of the four FIFA referees in Vietnam, Lan holds the position of a senior referee of the AFC and is regularly appointed to officiate official tournaments organized by the AFC.

This year, Lan worked at the AFC Cup in August and the 19th Asian Games in September, further enhancing his experience and expertise.

Meanwhile, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup second qualifying round, the head coach of the Vietnamese men's team, Philippe Troussier, has announced a 32-member squad to undergo training this month.

Alongside talented veterans such as goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, defenders Que Ngoc Hai, Do Duy Manh, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, midfielders Do Hung Dung, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Tuan Anh, and strikers Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Van Toan, and Nguyen Tien Linh, Troussier has also included promising young players who have previously trained with the team, such as Khuat Van Khang, Hoang Van Toan, Nguyen Thai Son, and Giap Tuan Duong.

The team will train locally from Nov. 6 to 13 before departing for Manila, the Philippines, where they will play their opening qualifying match.

In the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vietnam have been placed in Group F. They will face the Philippines in an away game on Nov. 16, followed by a home game against Iraq on Nov. 21. The team will then play an away game against Indonesia on March 21, 2024.

Although Iraq pose a significant challenge, the Vietnamese team have a strong chance of achieving positive results against the remaining two opponents, Indonesia and the Philippines, with the aim of securing second place in their group.