Laotian referee faces suspension threat at the 2026 Asian Cup by AFC

The aftermath of the women's football final at SEA Games 33 remains unresolved, as the Laotian referee is under disciplinary review by the AFC and faces a possible ban at the 2026 Asian Cup.

The women's football tournament at SEA Games 33 has concluded, but the echoes from the final match between the Vietnam and Philippines women's teams have yet to fade. The controversy centers on a legitimate goal by Vietnam that was disallowed, a decision considered a serious professional error by the refereeing team that directly impacted the final outcome. After 120 minutes of a draw, Vietnam lost in the penalty shootout, missing the chance to defend their gold medal, much to the disappointment of many.

According to sources related to refereeing, the match supervisor's report has been submitted to the Asian Football Confederation. This report specifically analyzes the roles and responsibilities of both the main referee and the assistant referee. The initial assessment indicates a serious professional mistake, which directly affected the fairness of the final, a critical taboo in any medal-deciding match.

The AFC is currently reviewing disciplinary measures. One likely outcome is that the main referee and assistant from the SEA Games 33 women's final will not be assigned duties at the 2026 Women's Asian Cup, a key tournament featuring the Vietnam women's national team. This is viewed as a disciplinary suspension intended to serve as a deterrent and ensure high officiating standards at continental competitions.

Information from Vietnam indicates that the AFC refereeing committee representative has personally met and apologized to the Vietnam Football Federation and the Vietnam women's team. VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan confirmed that the AFC acknowledged the referees' mistakes and pledged to take appropriate actions to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The controversial assistant referee is Phutsavan Chanthavong from Laos, an experienced official. She was the first female referee from Laos selected by the AFC to officiate major women's football tournaments, including the AFC U20 Women's Championship and the women's football event at the ASIAD. Originally an athlete in track and field, Chanthavong transitioned to refereeing and has been a FIFA assistant referee since 2019.

Meanwhile, under coach Mai Duc Chung, the Vietnam women's team must put aside their disappointment to focus on upcoming goals. The 2026 Women's Asian Cup in Australia will be a major challenge, where Vietnam will face India, Taiwan, and Japan in succession.

The controversies at SEA Games 33 have thus become a valuable lesson, not only for regional refereeing but also as motivation for the Vietnam women's team to enter the continental stage with greater determination.