The Opening of the 3rd Vietnam Student Football Tournament Finals at Ton Duc Thang University
On March 1, 2025, the opening ceremony of the 3rd Vietnam Student Football Tournament 2025 Finals – THACO Cup took place at Ton Duc Thang University (TDTU) Stadium.
Attending the opening ceremony, there was the presence of Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee; Mr. Bui Quang Huy, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union; Mr. Tran Trong Dung, Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association; Mr. Nguyen Xuan Vu, Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation; and Dr. Tran Trong Dạo, President of TDTU, the host institution of the tournament. The event also welcomed numerous distinguished guests, including leaders from central and local government agencies, sponsors, and partners. The event attracted thousands of enthusiastic supporters from universities across Ho Chi Minh City. Notably, the opening ceremony was honored by the presence of Mr. Kim Sang-sik, head coach of the Vietnam national football team, and Ms. Huynh Nhu, key player of the women’s national football team awarded the Golden Ball five times.
The tournament is organized by Thanh Nien Newspaper in collaboration with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). The final round features 12 teams, including the host team from TDTU.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, journalist Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper, stated: “The players delivered an impressive performance during the regional qualifiers, and now, as they step onto a larger stage, they must continue to demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges. The path to glory is demanding, but the organizing committee believes that all teams will find strong motivation in this year’s final round.”
He further emphasized: “Together, we ignite dreams of reaching new heights. Together, we spread the passion for football and promote school sports. Together, we contribute to shaping a generation of Vietnamese students who are strong, talented, and ambitious, ready to step confidently into a new era.”
Right after the opening ceremony, the match between the host team TDTU and Tra Vinh University ended in a 0-0 draw. In the subsequent match, Hue University secured a 1-0 victory against Quy Nhon University.
TDTU is a public university with experience in organizing many large-scale sporting events. With international standard sports facilities being synchronously invested, especially a FIFA standard football field with a capacity of more than 7,000 seats, TDTU is qualified for co-hosting the 3rd Vietnam Student Football Tournament - THACO Cup 2025. This contributes to promoting sports movements, inspiring, spreading the love of football in the student community, and creating opportunities to find young talents to be trained as professional athletes.
Furthermore, TDTU will also serve as the host venue for the 2025 International Student Tournament, organized by Thanh Nien Newspaper, immediately after the conclusion of the 3rd Vietnam Student Football Tournament Finals.