Korean referees assigned to Vietnam for duty, officiating the championship race match in V-League.

The "major clash" between Ninh Bình Club and CAHN in round 16 of V-League will be officiated by Korean referees.

Round 16 of V-League 2025/26 will take place from March 13-15 across stadiums nationwide. Among these, the match between Ninh Bình Club and CAHN has become the focal point of attention due to its decisive nature for this year's championship race.

Given the tense nature and potential significant impact on the season's outcome, Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) decided to invite an external refereeing team to manage the match to ensure objectivity.

Accordingly, two Korean referees, Kim Woo-sung and Choi Cheol-jun, will be assigned to officiate this encounter, which is predicted to potentially create a turning point in this season's championship race.

Referee Kim Woo-sung is not unfamiliar to Vietnamese football. The Elite Referee-level official has managed many matches involving Vietnamese national teams, including the AFF Cup 2024 semifinal between Vietnam and Singapore. Additionally, this referee has also served in major Asian competitions such as FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers, AFC U23 Asian Cup, and AFC Champions League. In the 2024/25 season, he officiated the main match between CAHN Club and Hanoi Club at Hang Day Stadium.

Meanwhile, referee Choi Cheol-jun will have his first assignment in V-League. He is currently on the list of referees officiating in K League 1, the top-tier league of Korean football.

Currently on the standings, host Ninh Bình ranks third with 28 points, while CAHN leads with 35 points and has played one fewer match. In the recent first-leg match (on February 1), CAHN narrowly defeated Ninh Bình with a close score of 3-2.