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| Ngo Phuoc Tuan (center) during a discussion on the management and organization of grassroots football tournaments in Hue. Photo courtesy of the character |
Born in 1989 in Thuy Phu (now Phu Bai Ward), Ngo Phuoc Tuan moved to Ho Chi Minh City in 2007 after passing the entrance exam to the University of Transport and Communications. In 2012, as Head of the Liaison Committee for Students and Youth from Thua Thien Hue (now Hue City), he founded and has run the Hue Community Football Tournament in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces. Held annually ever since, the tournament has become a fixture for Hue natives far from home.
In 2021, Ngo Phuoc Tuan returned to Hue and launched the first seven-a-side premier football tournament in the former imperial capital. Before the tournament officially kicked off, many said Tuan was taking a gamble. A gamble, they said - yet deep down, it was doubt about his ability to stage a tournament that went beyond the provincial borders, with eight strong teams, including four major clubs from Da Nang, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, and Nghe An.
No excuses, no explanations - Ngo Phuoc Tuan simply pressed ahead with his plan. And when grassroots football stars from across the country gathered at Uyen Phuong Stadium, when the tournament became the first of its kind to feature live streaming and a giant LED screen installed pitchside for the fans, when thousands of supporters packed the stands throughout the event, at that moment, all doubts vanished.
Riding on the success of the Thua Thien Hue seven-a-side premier tournament, seen as a catalyst for Hue’s grassroots football movement, Ngo Phuoc Tuan pressed ahead, rolling out a series of high-quality grassroots tournaments that have generated remarkable appeal and influence well beyond the artificial pitches of the former imperial capital.
Nothing speaks louder than the fact that top teams from across the country-TIG (Hanoi), Hieu Hoa Quahaco (Da Nang), Anh Phap (Nghe An), CK Store (Quang Nam), Le Nam (Quang Binh), among others - have become familiar faces in Hue, returning season after season to compete in U18 youth tournaments, mid-tier championships, and the Hue Super Cup organized by Ngo Phuoc Tuan.
With his contributions, journalist Ngo Phuoc Tuan has become a familiar face in Hue’s grassroots football community. For years, he has been the driving force behind a series of large, well-organized grassroots tournaments. More importantly - as Tuan himself puts it - these competitions have become a bridge connecting players, teams, and those who love Hue.
While a student at the University of Transport and Communications, Ngo Phuoc Tuan had already, during his days at Nguyen Hue High School (Hue City), been a contributor to several newspapers and magazines such as Hoa Hoc Tro (Student Flower) and Thieu Nien Tien Phong (Young Pioneer). So when he graduated, it came as no surprise that he worked for outlets like Tuoi Tre (Youth), Zing, and now Dan Tri (People’s Intellect). Journalism has also opened doors for Tuan, giving greater meaning to his efforts in developing the grassroots football movement.
“Thanks to grassroots football tournaments and the generosity of businesses and donors, we have organized the ‘Warm Spring at Home’ program for six straight years in A Luoi, Phong Dien, and Nam Dong. Though modest, this support has lit up Tet with warmth and joy for families in need,” Tuan shared.
Currently, Ngo Phuoc Tuan is occupied with preparations for the Hue City seven-a-side premier football tournament, to be held from July 19 to 23 at Uyen Phuong Stadium. The tournament is also among the 11 flagship events of the Hue Sport Festival 2025 (July 12 – August 3).
“Though my journalism work keeps me busy, I am determined to sustain and develop both the Hue Community Football Tournament and the seven-a-side premier event under the Hue Sport Festival. With teams from the central region and across the country reaching Hue to compete, the premier tournament also serves as an opportunity to showcase and spread the beauty of Hue—its land and its people,” Ngo Phuoc Tuan said.
Over his four-year journey dedicated to grassroots football in his homeland, Ngo Phuoc Tuan has organized more than 10 acclaimed tournaments, earning the trust of sponsors, businesses, and players alike. These achievements have inspired him to craft a long-term roadmap to support and advance Hue’s grassroots football towards greater balance and depth.