AFC announces good news for Vietnamese football

According to the latest update from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Vietnam will have 2 direct tickets to the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two 2025-2026.

Nam Dinh Club (white shirt) in AFC Champions League 2024-2025 - Photo: VFF

On the afternoon of June 10, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officially updated the number of clubs that will be directly admitted to the group stage and must compete in the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League Two 2025 - 2026.

According to the AFC's initial allocation on May 21, Vietnam has 1 direct ticket to the group stage and 1 ticket to the play-off for the 2025-2026 season.

However, after reviewing the qualified teams, AFC has re-allocated. Specifically, Vietnam has 2 slots to go straight to the group stage with Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Six representatives from Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore have been identified, including BG Pathum United, Ratchaburi, Tai Po, Eastern, Lion City Sailors and Tampines Rovers.

The case of 2 Vietnamese representatives will be updated after determining the champion team of V-League and National Cup 2024 - 2025.

Currently, Nam Dinh and Hanoi clubs are competing for the championship in the remaining two rounds of the 2024-2025 V-League. The National Cup will only have two semi-final matches between Song Lam Nghe An - B.Binh Duong and Cong An Ha Noi - The Cong Viettel on June 26.

If Song Lam Nghe An Club wins the 2024 - 2025 National Cup, VFF and VPF will choose another club to participate in the 2025 - 2026 AFC Champions League because the Nghe An team does not meet AFC standards.

In the 2024 - 2025 AFC Champions League, Nam Dinh Club stopped at the round of 16 after losing to Sanfrecce Hiroshima (Japan) 0-7 in two matches.

AFC Champions League Two 2025 - 2026 has the participation of 32 clubs. Of which, 29 will go straight to the group stage and 3 will pass the play-off round.

32 clubs will be drawn into 8 groups (4 East Asian groups and 4 West Asian groups) on August 15.

The group stage will start from September 16, 2025.

ORIGINAL

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/afc-bao-tin-vui-cho-bong-da-viet-nam-20250610213247424.htm