OFFICIAL: AFC makes a decision regarding FIFA's top referee from Vietnam

Referee Ngô Duy Lân has been appointed by AFC to officiate the match between Afghanistan and Myanmar.

Vietnamese referee Ngô Duy Lân has been assigned by AFC to officiate the match in the 5th round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers between Afghanistan and Myanmar, scheduled for 5:30 PM today. Initially, the match was planned to be held in Afghanistan in November 2025, but due to security concerns, Afghanistan requested a postponement and the match was moved to Myanmar's stadium as the host.

In reality, this match holds little significance as the sole qualification spot in Group E has already been secured by Syria with five consecutive wins, guaranteeing their participation in the 2027 Asian Cup finals. After this match, both teams will proceed to the 6th round, the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Nevertheless, this is an honor for referee Ngô Duy Lân, as he officiates a crucial match in the final Asian Cup qualifiers. Recently, two Vietnamese referees, Ngô Duy Lân and Nguyễn Trung Hậu, passed AFC's VAR selection process and officially joined the AFC Video Match Officials (VMO) Panel for 2026.

This marks a positive step for Vietnamese referees in participating in continental-level competitions and demonstrates professional growth in the application of VAR technology.

The success of referees Ngô Duy Lân and Nguyễn Trung Hậu in passing the selection and joining the VMO Panel for 2026 not only acknowledges their professional capabilities but also enhances the standing of Vietnamese refereeing within the Asian football system, contributing to increased accuracy and transparency in officiating decisions at international tournaments.

The AFC Video Match Officials Selection 2026 program was held from February 2 to February 6, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, aiming to train, evaluate, and select Video Match Officials for AFC competitions. During the program, participants engaged in intensive training covering theoretical studies on VAR technology, analysis of key match situations, principles and criteria for VAR intervention, and methods for selecting camera angles to assist referees in making accurate decisions.

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