A professional breakthrough

M opens the door for U.19 and U.21 players.

The TNSV THACO Cup has made a significant impact on the Vietnamese school football movement, thanks to a combination of captivating elements: exciting and unpredictable matches, showcasing the innocent spirit of student football and the enthusiasm of youth. More importantly, the fact that the tournament is organized according to professional standards on a national scale (within the system of the Vietnam Football Federation - VFF) also provides a solid foundation for creating an increasingly structured and professional playing field, reaching the necessary standards for school football.

The qualifying rounds for the TNSV THACO Cup 2025 will take place from December 28, 2024 to January 17, 2025.

The regulations for the 2025 THACO Cup have fundamentally differed from previous years, and participating teams need to be aware of this. Specifically, in the 2025 season, teams are allowed to register a maximum of three players who have previously competed in the national U.19 and U.21 leagues from 2022 to the present.

Specifically, the tournament regulations stipulate that, except for football-specialized students majoring in sports coaching at universities, colleges of physical education and sports, or players who have registered to play for teams participating in the second division, first division, and national championship leagues from 2022 to the present, other players who meet the criteria can participate in the tournament. These criteria include: being male students enrolled in full-time, long-term programs; students can only play for the team representing their university; students must have a health certificate from a district-level or higher medical authority confirming their fitness to play football, and must be included in the team's registration list according to the regulations of non-professional football.

This is a new development compared to previous seasons. For example, in the 2024 THACO Student Cup, the tournament regulations did not allow teams to register players who had participated in the national U.21 tournament in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The third edition of the tournament, which opens its doors to players who have participated in the U.21 competition, is expected to boost the tournament's professionalism, as teams can register more experienced and high-caliber players, contributing to more exciting matches. However, because this is still a purely student competition, with players being non-professional, the regulations only allow teams to register a maximum of 3 players who have participated in the national U.19 and U.21 tournaments from 2022 to the present. At any given time during a match, a maximum of two young players who have previously competed in the national U.19 and U.21 leagues from 2022 to the present, and three foreign players who have never competed in national leagues organized by the VFF, are allowed to play on the field.

At the same time, the tournament regulations also stipulate that teams can register 23 players and a minimum of 18 players, including a minimum of 2 goalkeepers and a maximum of 5 foreign students (who have never played in national tournaments organized by the VFF) for the qualifying round. Then, based on the list of eligible players registered in the qualifying round, the team's squad for the final round will be determined. Teams that have not registered 23 players in the qualifying round may add a maximum of 5 players, while still ensuring the minimum of 2 goalkeepers, a maximum of 3 players who have played in the U.19 and U.21 tournaments from 2022 to the present, and a maximum of 5 foreign students who have never played in VFF tournaments. Each team can substitute a maximum of 5 players.

However, the regulations for the third edition of the tournament narrowed the age range for players, allowing only those aged 18-25 (born between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2006) to participate, in order to better align with the formal training periods at universities, colleges, or academies. This is also a difference from the previous season, when the organizers allowed players aged 18-28 to participate.

INCREASINGLY STRICT AND PROFESSIONAL

One of the aspects that makes the THACO Student Football Cup so appealing is that all elements are standardized according to international regulations. Student football has a strong appeal within the community due to its accessibility and popularity, but for sustainable development, operating according to a standardized model is a necessary condition. The tournament regulations are adjusted annually to suit the realities of the tournament and the teams, but must still remain within the criteria of being more professional and systematic.

Fans of Ton Duc Thang University team

In the third edition of the tournament, the regulations continued to stipulate that each team could register a maximum of 7 officials (including team leader, head coach, assistant coach, technical staff, media staff, doctor, caregiver, etc.), with the registration of the team leader, head coach, and doctor or caregiver being mandatory. The regulations also fully specified the qualifications of coaches: they must meet minimum professional requirements, specifically a university degree in Physical Education, a college degree in Physical Education, or a degree in physical education from a university or academy, or an AFC C license or higher.

"Strengthening the regulations to be more stringent is ultimately aimed at creating a fair playing field for all teams. This helps teams ensure their participation objectives, sportsmanship, and professional standards. The more professionally organized the tournament, the higher its quality, the more the image of student football is enhanced, and the fairest and cleanest playing field is created for the players," affirmed VFF General Secretary Duong Nghiep Khoi.

Setting professional standards also encourages participating teams to continuously improve themselves. A positive sign in the past two seasons is that schools have sent elite teams to represent their respective clubs. This strength comes not only from the players and coaches, but also from the support staff and medical care, with every detail meticulously considered.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/buoc-dot-pha-ve-chuyen-mon-185241020205317783.htm