Opening of Community Football Instructor Training Course for Girls in Can Tho

CAN THO, October 23, 2026 – The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) opened a community football instructor training course for girls at the Can Tho Sports Center. The three-day course runs from October 23 to 25, 2026, with technical support from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The program targets girls aged 6 to 9. According to the organizers, the course aims to equip trainees – physical education teachers and local volunteers – with basic principles to organize community football activities for girls. The curriculum focuses on coaching methods that do not emphasize competitive results, but instead create positive, enjoyable experiences and gradually develop movement skills and basic football techniques. Trainees are introduced to the SMILES and STEPS principles – tools to adapt sessions according to space, task, equipment, people, and speed. The course also discusses barriers that keep girls from participating in football, such as family attitudes, lack of separate playing areas, and lack of kit and transport. In addition, trainees learn to plan a "football festival" – a mass one-off event format suited to local conditions. Speaking at the opening ceremony, a VFF representative said: "We want to create a healthy playground for girls, helping them get familiar with football without pressure for results. This course is the first step to expand the women's football movement, especially in the Mekong Delta." The representative also stressed that after completing the course, trainees will return to their localities and schools to implement community football activities. The course concludes with a certificate of completion issued by VFF. This is one of the first activities in VFF's community football development plan, aiming to widen the talent pool for the national women's teams in the future. According to the plan, the program will be expanded to other provinces in the coming years. The choice of Can Tho – a province in the Mekong Delta – is seen as a move to rebalance the women's football map, as current talent hubs are mostly in the north. However, for the program to be truly effective, more information is needed on the number of trainees, actual contact hours, and the transition pathway for girls after age 9. These data were not disclosed in the opening announcement. At the end of the course, trainees will be responsible for organizing football activities for girls in their localities. This is a positive signal that VFF is beginning to pay more attention to community football and women's football, though much work remains ahead.