The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), the match organizer, failed to fulfill its obligation to ensure security and safety for the match, despite prior warnings and requests for increased security measures, it said.
As a result, the VFF was fined US$6,250 for “inappropriate behavior of spectators” and $5,000 for “failing to fulfill its organizational obligation.”
Vietnamese football fans in Vietnam’s 3-1 victory over Malaysia at the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying game in Thien Truong Stadium in Ninh Binh Province on March 31, 2026. Photo by Read/Hieu Luong |
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) was also fined for similar reasons, related to their 2-1 victory over Turkmenistan in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.
However, FAT received a heavier fine of $22,500, as the AFC found that Thai fans used at least four incendiary devices.
The devices fans often use to incinerate are flares, which have led to large fines for the VFF on numerous past occasions.
In 2019, VFF was fined $39,500 for fans setting off flares during Vietnam’s 1-0 win against Indonesia and 4-0 win against Thailand in the 2020 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers. A year earlier, the VFF had to pay $12,500 for flares usage during Vietnam’s 1-3 loss to South Korea in the ASIAD 18 men’s football semi-finals.
The flare incident at Cambodia’s national stadium during Vietnam’s 2-1 victory in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers also cost the VFF $15,000. In the second leg of the 2016 AFF Cup semi-final at My Dinh Stadium, the fine was up to $38,000 due to fans using flares and throwing stones at Indonesia’s team bus after Vietnam was eliminated in extra time.
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