The V-League has concluded, yet Vietnamese football still relies on foreign referees.

VPF has engaged leading FIFA referees from the region to control the 2025/26 National Cup semi-finals.

Just a few days before the 2025/26 National Cup semi-finals kick off, the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) made a notable decision regarding officiating. Accordingly, two top regional FIFA referees will be invited to take charge of the two matches considered the most intense of the season.

This move comes as the National Cup title race enters its decisive phase, where even a minor mistake can directly affect the final outcome.

According to the latest assignment, referee Muhammad Nazmi Bin Nasaruddin (Malaysia) will serve as the main official in the semi-final between Nam Dinh and Cong An Ho Chi Minh City at Thien Truong Stadium. This is regarded as one of the most anticipated clashes in current Vietnamese football, bringing together numerous national team players and huge championship ambitions from both sides.

Nasaruddin is no stranger to Asian football. The Malaysian referee has been FIFA-accredited since 2016 and has officiated many matches in the AFC Champions League, AFC Cup, and the Asian Cup. Notably, he was assigned by the AFC to officiate the 2023 U20 Asian Cup final between Uzbekistan U20 and Iraq U20.

In the other semi-final between Ninh Binh and The Cong - Viettel, VPF has again placed its trust in another foreign referee, Wiwat Jumpaoon (Thailand). This official has been FIFA-recognized since 2018 and has regularly appeared at major AFC tournaments over the years.

According to the schedule, both National Cup semi-finals will take place simultaneously at 6:00 PM on August 11. These are crucial matches that will determine the two teams advancing to the final.

Not only in the National Cup, but VPF has recently been consistently using foreign referees for important matches. Previously, the play-off for a spot in the 2026/27 V-League between PVF - CAND and Bac Ninh was also officially assigned by the organizing committee (OC) to a team of FIFA referees from Singapore.In that match, Ahmad A'Qashah Bin Ahmad Al Badowe served as the main referee while Muhammad Taqi Aljaafari Bin Jahari handled VAR.

The repeated invitation of foreign FIFA referees is seen as a strong message from the OC in its efforts to improve officiating quality in matches. In recent seasons, refereeing has always been a topic of great public interest, especially in decisive games.

Therefore, the presence of experienced international referees is expected to minimize unnecessary controversies while ensuring fairness during the most intense phase of the season. Given the special nature of the upcoming two semi-finals, every decision on the field could create a turning point, and that is why VPF wants to avoid any mistakes.