Vietnam is among the 12 member nations worldwide chosen for the pilot implementation of the International Football Federation (FIFA)’s women’s football development project, said Belinda Wilson, a FIFA expert in women’s football, during a working session with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) in Hanoi on February 28.

Vietnam is one of the two Asian countries, alongside Bahrain, chosen for the pilot implementation

She emphasised the project’s importance to FIFA’s women’s football development strategy, stating that the successful implementation of the pilot will allow for the replication of the project in many other countries.

Wilson spent time exploring and collecting data on Vietnam’s women’s football as well as its advantages and difficulties faced in developing football among females, whilst listening to the recommendations proposed by the VFF, aiming to map out the specific steps for the implementation of the project in the country.

It is ideal to train Vietnamese players from the age of 12, Wilson said, noting that Vietnam’s good football infrastructure offers an ideal environment for young footballers to develop.

The FIFA expert spoke highly of the development potential of Vietnam’s women’s football, expressing her hope that the Vietnam women’s national football team would course through the 2018 Asian Cup finals to book a place at the 2019 FIFA World Cup.

As part of her working agenda in Vietnam, Belinda Wilson will visit the women’s national football squad and the Hanoi women’s football club, in addition to meeting with the VFF to discuss the operational orientations for the next period.

Nhan Dan