Hot: Vietnam exempts visas for world's top 100 players, which stars have visited?

Sports talent gets temporary visa exemption

On August 8, 2025, the Government issued Decree 221/2025/ND-CP regulating the temporary visa exemption for foreigners who are in special need of incentives to serve socio -economic development, including individuals working in the sports field with positive influence on the public.

PHOTO: REUTERS

According to the decree, the group of subjects in the sports field exempted from temporary visas includes:

International football players who have achieved the highest titles voted and recognized by the World Football Federation (FIFA) or the Asian Football Confederation (AFC); achieved titles such as: Golden Ball, Golden Boot, Best Player, Best Goalkeeper, Striker with the most goals, etc. recognized by FIFA, AFC; are in the list of 100 best football players in the world announced annually by prestigious international organizations; or are invited to compete and exchange with professional football clubs in Vietnam.

Sports athletes who won gold, silver or bronze medals at the Olympics, Paralympics, ASIAD, Asian Para Games.

Experts, coaches, athletes, referees, and members of international sports delegations participating in regional, continental, and world sports events hosted by Vietnam, with a sports card issued by the Organizing Committee.

New points in Decree 221/2025/ND-CP are expected to create favorable conditions to attract international sports talents, contributing to enhancing the image and position of Vietnamese sports in the international arena.

Which players in the world's top 100 have been to Vietnam?

Over the years, Vietnamese football has welcomed many big names in the world of football. However, most of the famous players known to the media came to Vietnam after retiring, most recently Gilberto Silva (Arsenal) or former Manchester United stars including Teddy Sheringham, Michael Owen, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes...

One of the few cases to come to Vietnam when still at the peak of his career is David Beckham. In 2003, when he was in the top group of the world's best player rankings, Beckham came to Ho Chi Minh City to attend a football event, attracting special attention from fans.

Another highlight was the Manchester City tour to Hanoi in July 2015, when a series of stars at their peak participated and were among the top 100 best players in the world voted by prestigious international organizations. Among them:

Raheem Sterling: just joined Manchester City, ranked 53rd in The Guardian's 2014 world top 100 and continues to appear in the 2015 list.

David Silva: in The Guardian 's top 100 of 2015.

Joe Hart: The Guardian 's top 100 of 2012, and FourFourTwo's top 100 of 2015.

PHOTO: MINH TU

All were present in Hanoi, competing in the friendly match between Vietnam national team and Manchester City at My Dinh Stadium on the evening of July 27, 2015.

Some other tours of big clubs that do not meet the criteria of "top 100 players playing at the time of arrival in Vietnam" include Arsenal (2013) bringing to Hanoi players such as Giroud, Oxlade-Chamberlain, ... but they are not in the top 100 in 2013 of the major rankings. Or Borussia Dortmund (2022) with Marco Reus, Mats Hummels, Emre Can, ... but not in the top 100 in 2022; Jude Bellingham was in the top 100 at that time but was busy attending the World Cup so he did not come to Vietnam.

PHOTO: HOANG QUAN

However, even if they are not in the top 100 or invited to compete in Vietnam, many players can still be exempted from visas if they have passports from one of dozens of countries that Vietnam unilaterally exempts from visas, such as Southeast Asian countries, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, England, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, etc.