Prior to the start of the tournament, Maj. Gen. Tran Ba Khuong, Deputy Head of the Department of Military Training and School Management under the General Staff and head of the Refereeing and Supervision Subcommittee, said the event is designed to promote the image of Viet Nam, its people, and the Viet Nam People’s Army to regional and international friends while strengthening ties among ASEAN armed forces under the spirit of “Sports Strengthen Friendship.”
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Maj. Gen. Tran Ba Khuong chairs the technical meeting for the tournament. |
The six participating teams are divided into two groups. Group A consists of the military volleyball teams of Viet Nam, Myanmar, and Cambodia, while Group B features Ho Chi Minh City Police, Laos, and Singapore.
Based on the International Volleyball Rules for the 2025-2028 period, the organizing panel developed the tournament regulations and competition rules and sent invitations to participating teams well in advance. According to Gen. Khuong, the visiting teams have prepared thoroughly, with relatively even levels of competition, promising exciting and competitive matches for spectators and military personnel.
To ensure fairness, the tournament has invited nine national- and international-level referees with support from the Viet Nam Volleyball Federation. Professional training has also been conducted for referees and other personnel involved in organizing the event.
The tournament will use VAR (video assistant referee) technology and apply international standards to the competition venue, refereeing, and officiating support. Gen. Khuong expressed confidence that the thorough preparations would contribute to the tournament’s success.
The ASEAN Armies’ Open Volleyball Tournament in 2026 is also a sporting event of significant political importance held in celebration of the country’s major national holidays. The participation of delegations from other countries, the Deputy Chairman of the Department of Military Training and School Management said, contributes to affirming the spirit of ASEAN friendship through sports.
After this year’s tournament, the organizing panel plans to draw lessons from the event to improve future competitions. In the coming years, sports exchanges among ASEAN armed forces could expand beyond volleyball to include football and other sports widely practiced and enjoyed by personnel of the Viet Nam People’s Army and the armed forces of other countries.
On the morning of August 20, the organizing panel held a technical meeting in Ha Noi, reaching agreement on the competition rules, tournament regulations, groupings, match schedule, and other organizational requirements.
Translated by Tran Hoai