Football has been part of the SEA Games sport since the 1959 edition. The women's football competition was held for the first time in 1985 in Thailand.
From the 2001 SEA Games to the 2015 SEA Games and again in 2021 SEA Games, the age limit for men's teams was under-23 plus up to three over-aged players for each squad.
Since the 2017 SEA Games, the age limit for men's teams is under-22. At the 2019 SEA Games, two over-aged players were allowed for each team while the 2023 edition saw no overage players allowed.
Thailand and Vietnam are the only two nations to have won both the men's and women's gold medals in a Southeast Asian Games football tournament. Thailand achieved this feat five times (in 1985, 1995, 1997, 2007, and 2013), while Vietnam accomplished it once in 2021. Furthermore, they are the only two nations to win every gold medal in the women's Southeast Asian Games football tournament that was played.