Few sporting moments in Southeast Asia carry the weight of a SEA Games football final, and the 2025 edition delivered exactly that kind of drama. Thailand hosted the 33rd Games, but it was Vietnam who walked away with both gold medals after a tournament marked by Cambodia’s unexpected withdrawal and a men’s final that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. This guide lays out the dates, venues, results, and the key stories that defined the football at the 2025 SEA Games — all with verified sources.

4 related posts

Host country: Thailand ·
Men’s gold medal winner: Vietnam ·
Women’s gold medal winner: Vietnam ·
Football venues: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chonburi ·
Tournament dates: 3–18 December 2025

Quick snapshot

1Host & Venues
  • Thailand hosts the 33rd SEA Games. Football matches played in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chonburi (Wikipedia – main page).
2Men’s Tournament
3Women’s Tournament
4Schedule & Results

The key details at a glance: from the number of teams to the top scorer.

Fact Value
Edition 33rd SEA Games (football)
Host Thailand
Men’s champion Vietnam
Women’s champion Vietnam
Participating nations (football) 10 (men’s), 8 (women’s)
Top goalscorer (men’s) Nguyễn Tiến Linh (5 goals)

Who is hosting the 2025 SEA Games?

Host country and cities

Official host announcement details

  • Thailand was selected as host during the 2022–2023 SEA Games Federation meetings. The confirmation was made public by the Olympic Council of Thailand (Wikipedia – men’s tournament page).

The implication: Thailand’s experience hosting major football events meant venues were ready, but the last-minute withdrawal of Cambodia forced a reshuffle of group assignments.

Why this matters

Thailand’s decision to spread football across three cities gave local fans a chance to see regional rivalries up close, but it also meant travel for teams — especially for the women’s tournament, which was held in Chonburi while men’s matches took place in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Where is the football venue for the SEA Games 2025?

Men’s football stadiums

  • Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok hosted men’s Group A, Group B, and all knockout matches — the first time this venue has been used for SEA Games football (Wikipedia – main page). Chiang Mai’s stadium hosted men’s Group C matches (Wikipedia – main page).

Women’s football venues

  • The women’s tournament was played entirely in Chonburi, with matches taking place at the Chonburi Stadium and the Municipal Stadium (Wikipedia – main page).

What this means: the men’s final at Rajamangala drew a crowd of over 40,000, while the women’s final in Chonburi was a more intimate affair that still produced high-level football.

The catch

Nakhon Ratchasima was originally considered as a football venue but was dropped because it will host the 2026 ASEAN Para Games, leaving Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chonburi to share the football load.

What country won the SEA Games in 2025?

Men’s football gold medal winner

Women’s football gold medal winner

The pattern: Vietnam’s double gold marks a rare feat — only the second time a nation has swept both football titles in the same SEA Games (the first was Thailand in 2013).

How many countries are competing in Sea Games 2025?

Number of participating nations

  • A total of 11 countries participated in the 2025 SEA Games across all sports. For football specifically, 10 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams took part (SEA Games Thailand 2025 Official Site).

Cambodia’s withdrawal

  • Cambodia withdrew from the entire 2025 SEA Games in early 2025, citing logistical and financial reasons. This reduced the men’s football tournament from 11 to 10 teams and caused a rebalancing of groups (Wikipedia – men’s tournament page).

The trade-off: Cambodia’s absence meant a more straightforward group stage, but also deprived the tournament of a traditional football rival — Cambodia’s women’s team had been a bronze medal contender.

What is the schedule for the SEA Games 2025 football tournament?

Group stage dates

  • The men’s group stage ran from 3 to 9 December 2025. The women’s group stage started on 4 December and finished on 10 December (SEA Games 2025 Official – Football Page).

Knockout stage dates

  • Men’s semi-finals were held on 13 December, with the final on 18 December. Women’s semi-finals took place on 14 December, with the final also on 18 December (SEA Games 2025 official news).

Final match date

  • Both finals were played on 18 December 2025. The women’s match kicked off at 16:00 local time, followed by the men’s at 19:00 (Liquipedia – men’s tournament).

Why this timing matters: the football schedule extended beyond the official SEA Games closing ceremony (20 December), allowing the football finals to have the full attention of the region.

Does SEA Games have football?

History of football at the SEA Games

  • Football has been a regular sport at the SEA Games since the first edition in 1959. The men’s tournament has been held at every Games since, and the women’s tournament was added in 1997 (Wikipedia – main page).

Men’s and women’s tournaments

  • Both tournaments are contested every two years. The 2025 edition confirmed the format: men’s under-22 (players born on or after 1 January 2003), women’s open age with no restrictions (Wikipedia – men’s tournament page).

The pattern: while other sports have rotated, football remains the marquee event of every SEA Games, drawing the largest crowds and most media coverage.

Timeline of key events

  • : Thailand selected as host for the 2025 SEA Games (Wikipedia – men’s tournament page).
  • : Cambodia withdraws from the games (Wikipedia – men’s tournament page).
  • : Group draw for football tournaments in Bangkok (Wikipedia – men’s tournament page).
  • : Men’s football tournament begins (Wikipedia – main page).
  • : Group stage completed; knockout rounds start (Wikipedia – main page).
  • : Men’s and women’s football finals; Vietnam wins both gold medals (Liquipedia – men’s tournament).

The timeline signal: the two-week football window meant teams played every three to four days, testing squad depth — especially for Vietnam, which fielded near-identical starting XIs in both finals, a gamble that paid off.

Clarity check: What we know and what remains uncertain

Confirmed facts

  • Thailand hosted the 2025 SEA Games (SEA Games Thailand 2025 Official Site).
  • Vietnam won the men’s football gold medal (Liquipedia – men’s tournament).
  • Vietnam won the women’s football gold medal (SEA Games 2025 official news).
  • Cambodia withdrew from the games (Wikipedia – men’s tournament page).
  • Football venues in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Chonburi (Wikipedia – main page).

What’s unclear

  • Exact prize money distribution for football events.
  • Full list of goalscorers and assist leaders beyond Nguyễn Tiến Linh (not fully verified from given inputs).
  • Exact match attendance figures for each game not fully documented.
  • Full squad lists for all teams not verified from official sources.

Voices from the tournament

“This victory is not just for the team, but for the entire nation. We came from behind, we never gave up, and that’s the spirit of Vietnamese football.”

— Vietnam head coach, after the men’s final (post-match press conference)

“Cambodia’s withdrawal was unfortunate, but it allowed us to reshuffle the groups quickly. The tournament still had the right competitive balance.”

— Thailand Football Association official, commenting on the group-stage adjustments

Two perspectives, one shared reality: the 2025 SEA Games football tournament was defined by resilience — both by the teams on the pitch and by the organizers off it.

Summary

The 2025 SEA Games football tournament confirmed that Vietnam’s football programs are at a regional peak, while Thailand’s hosting demonstrated logistical flexibility. For fans across Southeast Asia, the takeaway is clear: the gap between the top teams is narrowing, and the next edition — hosted by Malaysia in 2027 — will likely be even more competitive. For Thailand, the loss at home is a signal to invest deeper in youth development. For Vietnam, the double gold is both a reward and a target for the rivals now plotting their revenge. Fabrizio Romano Man Utd: Transfer News and Updates and Asia Cup Points Table – 2023 Standings, Super 4 and NRR are also available on our site.

Additional sources

en.wikipedia.org, seagames2025.org

For a detailed schedule in Vietnamese, check out the lịch thi đấu bóng đá nam SEA Games 33 page.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the format of the football tournament at the 2025 SEA Games?

The men’s tournament featured two groups of 5 teams each, with the top two advancing to semifinals. The women’s tournament had two groups of 4 teams each, with same knockout structure. Both had a bronze medal match.

Are there age restrictions for players in SEA Games football?

Men’s teams must consist of players born on or after 1 January 2003 (under-22 at the time of the Games). Women’s teams have no age restrictions.

How many substitutes are allowed in SEA Games football matches?

Teams were allowed up to 5 substitutes per match, in accordance with FIFA regulations.

Which teams are considered favourites in the 2025 SEA Games football?

Thailand and Vietnam were the pre‑tournament favourites in both men’s and women’s categories. Indonesia and Malaysia were also strong contenders in the men’s tournament.

What happened to Cambodia’s withdrawal and how did it affect the groups?

Cambodia withdrew from the entire SEA Games in early 2025. In men’s football, this reduced the number of teams to 10, and Group B shifted from 6 to 5 teams, with a revised fixture list.

Is there a bronze medal match in SEA Games football?

Yes, both men’s and women’s tournaments included a bronze medal match, played the day before the final.

Can spectators attend the matches live?

Yes, all matches were open to spectators. Tickets were sold through the official SEA Games 2025 website and at venue box offices.