Erick Thohir speaks up about Vietnam’s citizenship law changes

Erick Thohir as PSSI Chairman has responded regarding Vietnam’s citizenship law policy changes that will take effect from July 1, 2025.

This change comes after Vietnam national team experienced a series of poor results — losing three consecutive matches against Indonesia in the 2023 Asian Cup and 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, and being thrashed by Malaysia 4-0 in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Vietnam government has now simplified the naturalization process by removing residency requirements and official language proficiency — applicants are also allowed to retain their original citizenship.