Tran Quoc Tuan and Vietnam Football's Soft Power: When the Round Table Decides the Pitch

Start with an image. On the morning of September 13, at Noi Bai Airport, the suitcases of the Vietnam U23 team are loaded onto a truck. There are no drums, no fans waving flags. Only young faces, eager and anxious eyes, and a man standing quietly in the corner, observing. He wears a suit, holding a folder. That is Tran Quoc Tuan, who has just been assigned the responsibility of leading football operations at the Asian Games. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. Behind that image is a network of power and responsibility stretching from Hanoi to Zurich, from meetings of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to decisions about schedules and tournament slots.

I write these lines having passed the age of 65, after five decades of watching football from the stands and meeting rooms. The ball has rolled through my years, and I have transcribed it in verse. But some matches do not take place on the pitch. They take place in closed rooms, where men in suits decide the fate of teams. Tran Quoc Tuan is one of those men. And his story, as the man leading football operations at the Asian Games, is a story about the soft power of Vietnamese football.

Context: From Incheon to Aichi, from the round table to the pitch

Tran Quoc Tuan is no stranger to Asian football. He was Head of Football Operations at the 17th Asian Games – Incheon 2026. In 2026, at the 19th Asian Games – Hangzhou, he was appointed by the AFC as overseer of men's and women's football. Those are important milestones. But it was not until 2026 that his standing truly reached new heights when he became a member of the AFC Executive Committee and Chair of the AFC Competitions Committee. Notably, he is also a member of the FIFA Men's National Team Competitions Committee for the 2026–2029 term.

What does this mean? According to FIFA itself, the committee he sits on advises the FIFA Council on strategy, organisation and management of major international competitions. In other words, Tran Quoc Tuan is in the room where international match calendars are drawn up. That is a quiet but enormously weighty power. A scheduling decision can upend the plans of an entire football nation. A format change can open or close a country's door to a tournament. And Tran Quoc Tuan, as a Vietnamese, holds a piece of that power.

Ironically, however, the original report about his leading football operations at the Asian Games contains many information gaps. It does not specify which edition of the Asian Games. Based on the context of the tournament running from September 15 to October 4 in Japan, specifically Aichi/Nagoya, one might guess it is the 20th Asian Games – Aichi-Nagoya 2026. But the report does not confirm. It also does not say which body appointed him: the AFC, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), or the local organising committee? How long is the term of this role? And more importantly, what is his position within the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF)? All of these are left open. These are notable gaps, as they affect how we understand his true role.

Yet even with the missing information, we can still see a larger picture. It is the rise of Vietnam within the power structures of Asian football. While the Vietnam U23 team prepares for the Asian Games group stage, a Vietnamese man sits in a senior executive position at the AFC and FIFA. This is an interesting asymmetry: on the pitch, Vietnam remains in the middle tier of Asian football, but at the round table of power, Vietnam is already in the leading group.

Core Insight: Soft power and the U23 puzzle

To understand better, look at the schedule of Vietnam U23 at the Asian Games. They are in Group C, along with Kuwait, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan. The matches take place on September 15, 18, and 22. That means, within 8 days, they must play 3 matches, with intervals of 3 days and 4 days. If they advance from the group, they enter a knockout stage of 3 rounds, running until October 4. That is a dense schedule, demanding extremely wise management of fitness and squad rotation.

Notably, the order of opponents is arranged by increasing difficulty: Kuwait (Sept 15), the Philippines (Sept 18), then Uzbekistan (Sept 22). Uzbekistan is one of the strongest youth football nations in Asia. This means Vietnam U23 may need to win the first two matches to secure a place in the next round before the decisive match against Uzbekistan. This is a structural advantage, but also a significant psychological pressure.

However, there is a noteworthy detail: the tournament has 15 teams, divided into 4 groups, one of which has only 3 teams. Previous Asian Games typically had 16 teams. This anomaly could indicate a late withdrawal after the draw, or a format change. It also means a team in a 3-team group will have a fitness advantage entering the knockout stage, as they play only 2 group matches instead of 3. This is a small detail but could affect the overall picture.

But back to Tran Quoc Tuan. The role of leading football operations at the Asian Games is only one part of his portfolio. More important is his position as Chair of the AFC Competitions Committee. This committee has the power to decide on formats, schedules, and allocation of slots for continental competitions. These are decisions that directly affect Vietnamese football, from club level to national team. In other words, a Vietnamese man holds the key to decisions that can create advantages or disadvantages for Vietnamese football itself. It is a double-edged sword, but also an unprecedented opportunity.

Based on my experience watching matches and tournaments, I have observed that countries often focus on on-pitch results and forget the importance of the battle in the corridors of power. Japan, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Australia – they are not only strong on the pitch but also have a loud voice in committees. Vietnam is gradually learning that lesson. Tran Quoc Tuan's presence at the AFC and FIFA is a strategic move. It does not bring immediate medals, but it can bring long-term benefits: more favourable schedules, opportunities to host major tournaments, and a voice in decisions about youth football development.

Contrarian Angle: When the round table matters more than the pitch

There is a paradox in this story. While the media and fans focus on the U23 team, on who will score, who will shine, the real story lies in meetings without cameras. Tran Quoc Tuan is not a player. He does not score. He does not assist. But his decisions, and those of his colleagues in committees, can affect Vietnamese football for years to come.

Imagine a scenario: thanks to his position, Vietnam could lobby for a slot in the finals of an Asian youth tournament, or a more favourable schedule for Vietnamese clubs in continental competitions. These sound dry, but they have real value. A tournament slot can bring millions of dollars in broadcasting rights and sponsorship. A sensible schedule can help clubs avoid overload. These are silent but sustainable benefits.

Of course, Tran Quoc Tuan holding multiple roles at once could also raise concerns about conflicts of interest. He is simultaneously a member of the AFC Executive Committee, Chair of the AFC Competitions Committee, a member of the FIFA Competitions Committee, and the man leading football operations at the Asian Games. This concentration of power is rare. Meanwhile, other countries in the region such as Uzbekistan, the Philippines, or Kuwait have no comparable high-level representation. This makes Vietnam an exception in the Asian football power landscape. But can this concentration last? Could it be challenged by other countries? These are unanswered questions.

Another notable point: the original report does not mention Tran Quoc Tuan's position within the VFF. This is an important information gap. If he holds an important position in the VFF, his roles at the AFC and FIFA are even more significant. Conversely, if he is purely a continental official, his influence on domestic football may be limited. This is a question that needs clarification.

Another aspect often overlooked is the financial side. Although the original report provides no financial figures, we can infer that participating in a tournament as long as the Asian Games requires significant costs: from training, travel to Japan on September 13, to accommodation until October 4 if they progress far. These costs are typically covered by the national federation and the state sports budget. We do not have specific numbers, but clearly this is an investment. Will this investment pay off? The answer lies both in on-pitch performance and in the intangible benefits of political positioning.

It is also worth recalling that this year's tournament has 15 teams instead of the usual 16. This could be a sign of a late withdrawal, or a format adjustment. Whatever the cause, it shows that changes in tournament operations can happen at any time, and those sitting in committees like Tran Quoc Tuan are the first to know. That is a significant information advantage.

Takeaway: Progressive reflection

The story of Tran Quoc Tuan and the Asian Games is not a story about a single match. It is a story about how football operates at its deepest level. While Vietnam U23 prepare to step onto the pitch, another Vietnamese man sits at the round table of power, where decisions are made not with cheers, but with nods. That is a part of modern football few see. The applause in an empty stadium, I hear it clearer than the waves.

Can Vietnam leverage this soft power to elevate its football? Can positions on committees translate into concrete advantages on the pitch? These are open questions. But one thing is certain: in the world of football, strength is not measured only by goals. It is also measured by the ability to shape the rules of the game. And Tran Quoc Tuan, in his new role, is in a position to do just that. Stoppage time is a debt I owe to time, and I must repay it every night. And perhaps, Vietnamese football also owes a bigger dream, a dream written in silent decisions.

In that context, every pass by Vietnam U23 on Japanese soil is not just a play. It is part of a larger story of a football nation seeking to reach the open sea. And sometimes, the most important steps forward are not recorded in goals, but in the lines of meeting minutes. In the stands, I merge my heartbeat with the drums, so no one sees that I am old.