Malaysian referee to officiate star-studded Vietnam national team match

The Capital derby between Hanoi FC and Cong An Ha Noi (CAHN) in round 15 of V-League 2025–2026 will be officiated by FIFA-certified referees from Malaysia.

According to the organizers' announcement, the two referees assigned for the match are Muhammad Nazmi Bin Nasaruddin and Muhammah Izzul Fikri Bin Kamaruzaman. Both are highly experienced international referees and are no strangers to Vietnamese football pitches.

Among them, Muhammad Nazmi Bin Nasaruddin (born 1990) is currently regarded as one of the top referees in Malaysian football. He made his mark by becoming the first foreign referee invited to officiate the Vietnamese National Super Cup in August 2024. Prior to that, this referee in black had gained experience in the V-League since 2016, when he took charge of the match between Hai Phong and Hanoi T&T (now Hanoi FC) at Lach Tray Stadium.

Meanwhile, referee Muhammah Izzul Fikri Bin Kamaruzaman (born 1995) is also a familiar face to V-League fans. He was recognized as a FIFA referee in 2016 and has participated in officiating many matches in the Vietnamese national championship. In the 2024/2025 season, Kamaruzaman officiated matches such as Hanoi FC vs Nam Dinh in round 21 and Binh Dinh (now Quy Nhon) vs Hanoi FC in round 26. Notably, this is also the second time this season he has been invited to officiate a V-League match, following the game between CAHN and Ninh Binh in round 12.

The clash between Hanoi FC and CAHN also marks the third time this season the organizers have invited a foreign referee to officiate a V-League match. Previously, the two matches with foreign referees were CAHN vs Ninh Binh in round 12 and The Cong Viettel vs Hanoi FC in round 14.

In the current standings, CAHN, under coach Polking's guidance, leads with 35 points. The police-affiliated club has opened a 7-point gap over second-placed The Cong Viettel and has still played one fewer match. Notably, CAHN remains unbeaten after 13 matches, having successively overcome strong opponents such as Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, and even Hanoi FC in the first leg.

Meanwhile, Hanoi FC has been gradually regaining form after an unfavorable start to the season. Since Coach Harry Kewell took over the managerial role in October, the capital team has significantly improved its results and climbed to 4th place in the standings.

The derby between Hanoi FC and CAHN will take place at 7:15 PM on March 8th. This is considered the most notable match of round 15 in V-League 2025/26, not only due to its professional significance but also because of the competitive rivalry for status between the two clubs from the same city.