New expectations in the modern era of professional football

VHO - On the afternoon of July 14 in Hanoi, the draw and schedule ceremony for the LPBank National Football Championship 2025/26 organized by Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) officially took place, marking the beginning of a new season full of expectations and innovation in the Vietnamese professional football system.

Ready for the season of change

Expected to kick off on August 15, the LPBank V.League 1-2025/26 season will bring together 14 leading professional clubs in the country, including: Becamex Ho Chi Minh City (renamed from Becamex Binh Duong), Hanoi Police, Ho Chi Minh City Police (new name of Ho Chi Minh City Club), Dong A Thanh Hoa, Hanoi FC, Hai Phong, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh (new name of Phu Dong Ninh Binh), Quang Nam , SHB Da Nang, Song Lam Nghe An, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh and The Cong Viettel.

The new season of V.League promises to be exciting.

With a double round-robin format (home and away), the season will consist of 26 rounds with a total of 182 matches. The total prize value for the three leading teams is up to 9.5 billion VND, promising to create more motivation for fair and fierce competition.

The opening match of the season is the 2024/25 National Super Cup, taking place on August 9, while the National Cup final will close the season on June 28, 2026.

One of the new highlights of this year's season is the relegation rule: two teams will have to leave the national top flight after the end of the season, increasing competition at the bottom of the table.

In addition, the mechanism for using foreign players has also been adjusted. Accordingly, clubs participating in AFC continental tournaments are allowed to register a maximum of 7 foreign players, while the remaining clubs are allowed to register 4 foreign players. However, in each match, all teams are only allowed to use a maximum of 3 foreign players on the field at the same time - a balance between professional requirements and domestic player development.

Another highlight is the merger of administrative units from July 1, 2025, opening up the possibility of organizing "intra-provincial derbies" for the first time in the history of the tournament. Confrontations such as Hanoi Police vs. Viettel The Cong, or Ho Chi Minh City Police vs. Becamex Ho Chi Minh City... promise to bring explosions to the stands and increase the media appeal of the tournament.

New season draw results

VPF has proactively coded the match schedule to ensure that the derby matches take place properly in both the first and second legs, while also facilitating VAR arrangement, television and fan service.

Expect a successful season

The pre-season player registration period ends on August 1, 2025. The two main transfer windows of the season run from July 15 to September 14, 2025 and from January 25 to March 17, 2026. These are important milestones for clubs to strengthen their squads and prepare for big goals.

All 182 matches of the season will continue to be broadcast live by FPT Play on all platforms – from terrestrial television, satellite, IPTV, internet, to mobile applications and social networks – ensuring comprehensive audience service in the digital age.

With many new points, the season is expected to be successful.

In addition, the official match ball Terra UVI 2.07 – FIFA Quality Pro standard – will continue to be used this season. This is a product of Dong Luc Sports Group, a unit that has accompanied Vietnamese professional football for many years. “Made in Vietnam” balls like Terra have contributed to thousands of exciting matches at both men’s, women’s and youth levels.

Not only limited to the ball, the 2025/26 season also witnessed the appearance of a new referee and supervisor uniform model under the brand JOGARBOLA - a sports fashion brand from Japan, with optimal materials for professional competition.

The draw ceremony for the 2025/26 LPBank National Football Championship was held on the afternoon of July 14 in Hanoi.

VPF Company representative affirmed: “With the close attention and direction from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam Sports Department, and the support of the Vietnam Football Federation, strategic sponsors, media agencies and especially the clubs and local organizers, we believe that the 2025/26 national professional football season, especially LPBank V.League 1-2025/26, will be successfully organized, continuing to affirm the progress of Vietnamese football in the period of integration and development.”

On the journey to upgrade the tournament, careful preparation in terms of expertise, organization, technology and communication is an affirmation of the aspiration to build a modern, attractive and closely connected V.League with the community. LPBank V.League 1-2025/26 is not only a playground for football teams but also a symbol of a professional football that is rising in the new era.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/ky-vong-moi-trong-ky-nguyen-bong-da-chuyen-nghiep-hien-dai-152090.html