Hot Vietnamese football news today May 26: U17 Vietnam's opponent changes coach; Thai Son Bac rises to second place

Today's hot Vietnamese football news (May 26): U17 Vietnam's rival replaces head coach; Thai Son Bac climbs to second in the V-League futsal standings

U17 Vietnam's opponent changes coach ahead of World Cup

Following a defeat at the 2026 African U17 Championship on the morning of May 25 (Vietnam time), the Mali Football Federation decided to dismiss head coach Demba Mamadou Traore.

Chairman Mahazou dit Baba Cisset personally called to inform coach Demba Mamadou Traore of the decision before the Mali Football Federation sent an official document confirming the termination of this strategist's duties with the Mali U17 team.

The Vietnam U17 team will participate in the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026 finals in Qatar from November 19 to December 13, 2026. In Group G, coach Cristiano Roland's squad will face U17 Belgium, U17 New Zealand, and U17 Mali on November 20, 23, and 26 respectively.

According to the tournament format, the top two teams from each group along with the best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage.

Thai media surprised by Coach Park Hang Seo

Coach Park Hang Seo and Kanchanaburi Power FC confirmed signing a two-year contract on May 25. This marks the first time the South Korean manager returns to coaching since leaving the Vietnam national team in January 2023.

Kanchanaburi FC was founded in 2017. The club won the Thai League 3 Western region in the 2022-2023 season, finished fourth in Thai League 2 in the 2024-2025 season, and then earned promotion to Thai League 1 via the playoffs.

However, in their first season in Thai League 1, the club changed coaches three times but still finished at the bottom of the table and were relegated.

The Joongang Ilbo commented: "The decision to go to Thai League 2 is a bold move to pioneer the Thai football market, which is considered a challenging environment for Korean coaches."

Thai Son Bac rises to second place in the national futsal championship

A 3-0 victory over Sahako helped Thai Son Bac climb to second place in the standings, trailing only the leader Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City on goal difference.

In the 10th minute, from a through ball by Mota, Quang Nguyen sprinted forward and finished neatly to open the scoring for Thai Son Bac.

In the second half, Sahako pushed up their formation and pressed intensely in search of an equalizer. However, in the 35th minute, following a corner kick, Nhan Nam took a shot that the Sahako goalkeeper couldn't hold, allowing Minh Quang to tap in the rebound and make it 2-0.

In the final minutes, Sahako switched to a power-play formation but conceded a third goal from Mota's finish into an empty net, sealing a 3-0 victory for Thai Son Bac.

After four matchdays, Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City temporarily leads with 10 points and a +17 goal difference. Thai Son Bac is second with the same 10 points but a lower goal difference, while Sahako sits third with 9 points.

VFF develops women's football in Quang Tri and Hue

Recently, a VFF delegation conducted a field survey of women's football activities in Quang Tri province and Hue city – localities considered rich in potential for future women's football development. The delegation was led by General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu.

In Quang Tri, the delegation worked with leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and representatives of the Department of Education and Training. Local leaders affirmed they would continue to promote school sports in a comprehensive, gender-equal, and sustainable manner.

Meanwhile, the women's football movement in Hue is maintained through coordination among the sports sector, education sector, and the city football federation, with regular activities such as Football Fun Days and women's football tournaments at the commune and ward levels.

The working trip further demonstrates VFF's determination to expand and improve the quality of women's football nationwide.