The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially appointed the refereeing team for the Group A clash between U23 Vietnam and U23 Kyrgyzstan at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026. Referee Heidari Payam is known for his strict style and high card count. Referee Heidari Payam has held FIFA accreditation since 2015 and is regularly assigned to major AFC tournaments. Dinh Bac calmly converted from the spot to open the scoring for U23 Vietnam. U23 Vietnam will face U23 Kyrgyzstan at 9:00 PM on January 9, a pivotal match in their bid to reach the quarterfinals.

Source: VietNamNet News January 08, 2026 05:19 UTC