Opening of the 2025 International Youth Student Football Tournament - THACO Cup: Very attractive

Tournament full of noble meaning

Many fans were students of the home team Ton Duc Thang University and students from other schools such as People's Police University, University of Finance and Marketing, Saigon University, Saigon University of Technology... creating a vibrant atmosphere from the stands. The impressive martial arts performance of the Ton Duc Thang University taekwondo team, followed by the song Football is Number 1 by MTV group made the football atmosphere even more exciting.

Delegates, officials and organizers went down to the field to cheer on the teams participating in the tournament.

PHOTO: Independence

Speaking at the opening ceremony, journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union, Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee, said: "Right after the end of the first season of TNSV VN, Thanh Nien Newspaper came up with the idea and built a roadmap for an international tournament for students. With the encouragement and enthusiastic support of the accompanying unit - THACO Group, the coordinating units: Saigon Tourist Corporation - Saigontourist Group, Ton Duc Thang University and the professional support of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), this year we have turned that idea into reality".

Journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union, Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee, spoke at the opening ceremony.

PHOTO: Independence

Journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan emphasized: "The goal of the international tournament for students is not only to help players have more opportunities to compete professionally, contribute to improving football skills, and aim to become an important source of talent for national teams, but also help universities in the region strengthen integration, build friendly relationships and cooperation. The Organizing Committee hopes that the matches of the international TNSV will recreate the image of dramatic, attractive and engaging competitions of national teams in the region. The players will compete with determination but still maintain the spirit of fair-play and friendship to create a successful tournament with many good impressions together with the Organizing Committee."

Journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union, Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee and Mr. Pham Van Tai, General Director of THACO Group - the main sponsor of the International Youth Volunteers 2025, introduced the International Youth Volunteers 2025 championship trophy - the THACO Cup.

Photo: Independence

Impressed with the organization

Attending the opening ceremony, VFF Vice President Tran Anh Tu commented: "The international student football tournament organized by Thanh Nien Newspaper is not inferior to a professional tournament. Besides, I see the enthusiasm of the participating teams along with the large number of cheering spectators showing the attractiveness of the tournament. School football always plays an important role in the development of sports in general and football in particular. Vietnamese school football is increasingly attracting attention. I believe that in the future we will have a strong student football tournament like the student football tournaments in Southeast Asia such as Thailand, or in continents such as Japan and Korea".

In the first time organized, the Organizing Committee aims to create a playground for student football teams in the Southeast Asian region to have a clear view of the strength of ASEAN school football. In fact, the tournament has witnessed the participation of football champions from Cambodia, Singapore and Vietnam.

The football teams parade at the opening ceremony.

PHOTO: Independence

Deputy Director General of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training of Cambodia, Mr. Va Vannak affirmed: "The international student football tournament is a very good initiative of Thanh Nien Newspaper. This will be a good foundation to build cooperation between universities in the Southeast Asian region in particular and internationally in general, through sports. Being here, I am really impressed by the infrastructure and equipment of the host unit, Ton Duc Thang University, which is very spacious and modern. The performance of the student football teams on the opening day also met high standards. The tournament has great significance for education through sports in ASEAN. If this development momentum can be maintained, through quality tournaments like Thanh Nien Newspaper is implementing, sports will receive more focused policies to balance education and sports".

Attending the opening ceremony were distinguished guests: Ms. Nguyen Pham Duy Trang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Council of the Young Pioneers; Mr. Tran Trong Dung, Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association; Mr. Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Department, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Le Thang Loi, representative of the Ministry of Education and Training, Director of the Southern Education and Training Development Center; Mr. Tran Anh Tu, Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation; Mr. Nguyen Minh Tam, Vice Director of Ho Chi Minh City National University; Ms. Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Nam Nhan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Dr. Vu Anh Duc, Chairman of the University Council of Ton Duc Thang University.

Regarding international guests, there were Mr. Phonesy Bounmixay, Consul General of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Bun Khunny, Consul of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Ho Chi Minh City; Mr. Prum Bunyi, Advisor of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia; Mr. Va Vannak, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training of Cambodia; Dr. Khamtanh Somvong, Counselor for Education and Culture, Embassy of Laos in Vietnam.

Sponsors include: Mr. Pham Van Tai, General Director of THACO Group - the main sponsor of TNSV International 2025 - THACO Cup; Mr. Nguyen Dong Hoa, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist Group; Mr. Ha Chi Hieu, Deputy Director of Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade, Ho Chi Minh City Branch; Mr. Le Dong Tuan, Acting Director of Saigon - Hanoi Joint Stock Commercial Bank (SHB) Ho Chi Minh City Branch; and accompanying units such as Vietnam Airlines Corporation, Bao Uyen Sport Company Limited, Bulbal brand, Dong Luc Joint Stock Company, Nam Sai Gon Hospital, AAA Insurance, Ton Duc Thang University, FPT Play Television, etc.