Dong Nai U11 Children’s Football Tournament nurtures young football talents

The Dong Xoai U11 team actively participates in friendly matches to gain experience and improve physical fitness ahead of the official tournament. Photo: Vu Thuyen

Useful summer playground

Each summer, alongside recreational and community activities for children, the U11 Children’s Football Tournament becomes a highly anticipated event for hundreds of young players across the city. In Binh Phuoc ward, preparations for the new season are underway. Nguyen Thien Tam, Binh Phuoc U11 coach, said that as soon as the tournament was announced, the team management began selecting players, organizing training sessions, and arranging friendly matches. Despite the summer heat, the players have been training enthusiastically, eager to represent their locality in the tournament.

For many children, the tournament provides an opportunity to interact and make friends with peers who share a passion for football from across the city. Each match offers a new experience that helps them mature, learn to share the joy of victory, and learn how to cope with defeat. Nguyen Hoang Anh Phat of the Binh Phuoc U11 team said, "I am honored to have been selected for the official team to participate in this major tournament. It is not only a beneficial tournament but also an opportunity for me to gain experience and improve my skills and physical fitness."

Beyond serving as a playground for children, the tournament also attracts attention from parents, schools, and local authorities. Many parents view it as a practical activity that helps their children reduce time spent on electronic devices during the summer while creating opportunities to exercise, improve their health, interact with teammates, and support their overall development.

Ready for tournament

Nguyen Thuy Vu, Vice Chairwoman of the Binh Phuoc ward People's Committee, said that for the first time since the implementation of the two-level local government model, Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television, in coordination with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Department of Education and Training, is organizing the 21st Dong Nai U11 Children’s Football Tournament - Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television - C.P. Vietnam Cup. To ensure the tournament's success and implement the organizing committee's plan, Binh Phuoc ward, as the head of Competition Cluster No. 8, has implemented preparations according to schedule. The ward has established a team, selected qualified players, organized training sessions, and completed registration procedures. To date, the locality has prepared facilities, medical services, and security measures to ensure the safety of athletes and coaches, while widely promoting the event through mass media to encourage students, parents, and residents to support the tournament.

Over more than two decades of supporting generations of young footballers in Dong Nai, the Dong Nai U11 Children’s Football Tournament - Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television - C.P. Vietnam Cup has affirmed its value as a healthy, beneficial, and deeply humanistic playground. Many players who gained experience through the tournament have gone on to become standout members of youth teams and continue pursuing their passion for football.

The 21st Dong Nai U11 Children’s Football Tournament - Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television - C.P. Vietnam Cup brings together 40 high-quality U11 teams, divided into eight clusters for the qualifying round. Binh Phuoc ward is the Head of Competition Cluster No. 8, which comprises five teams, including Binh Phuoc, Dong Xoai, Dong Phu and Binh Long wards, and Bu Dang commune. The qualifying round is scheduled to open on June 27 at the Binh Phuoc ward Multi-purpose Gymnasium (Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Phu Xuan quarter, Binh Phuoc ward, Dong Nai City). The five teams will compete in a round-robin format to select the top two teams qualifying for the final round.