Since the North Vietnam football team was not recognized by international federations such as FIFA, the AFC, or the International Olympic Committee, the only international competition it ever took part in was the football tournament of the Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO), whose organizing body was friendlier toward the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
The North Vietnam football team's lack of international recognition meant its only opportunity for competition was in the GANEFO tournament, which had a more lenient governing body compared to other major sporting organizations.