FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom arrived in Hanoi on the afternoon of August 26 for a series of activities during their visit to Vietnam.

A highlight of the trip will be Infantino’s attendance at the second leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup final between Vietnam and Thailand at My Dinh National Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) President Tran Quoc Tuan welcomed Infantino at the airport with flowers.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives in Hanoi. Photo: VFF

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VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Photo: VFF

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has shown particular interest in Vietnamese football. Photo: VFF

The FIFA president is scheduled to take part in several important activities in Hanoi during the afternoon before heading to My Dinh National Stadium to watch the highly anticipated ASEAN Cup final.

This marks Infantino’s second visit to Vietnam.

He first visited the country in February 2018, when he held meetings with Vietnamese authorities and toured the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center.

More recently, in January 2023, Infantino attended the second leg of the 2022 AFF Cup final between Thailand and Vietnam at Thammasat Stadium in Thailand.

He watched the match alongside VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan and the presidents of the Football Association of Thailand and the ASEAN Football Federation. Infantino also took part in the post-match medal ceremony.

The presence of Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom in Hanoi this time once again highlights FIFA’s interest in football development across Southeast Asia.

The visit also offers Vietnamese football an opportunity to showcase the progress it has made in recent years, with increasingly systematic investment in national teams, youth development, facilities and the organization of international football events.

Dai Nam