Tien Linh and B. Binh Duong Club have become part of Ho Chi Minh City football after the merger - Photo: VPF
The arrangement of provincial administrative units since early July has created significant changes in the map of Vietnamese professional football.
Benefits of mergers
After merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau , Ho Chi Minh City is a new megacity. This also helps Ho Chi Minh City become the locality with the most professional clubs in the country, with 6 clubs.
Ho Chi Minh City has two teams playing in the V-League: Ho Chi Minh City Club (playing at Thong Nhat Stadium, Dien Hong Ward) and B.Binh Duong (Binh Duong Stadium, Thu Dau Mot Ward).
In addition, Ho Chi Minh City also has 4 representatives in the First Division: Ba Ria - Vung Tau (Ba Ria Stadium, Ba Ria Ward), Ho Chi Minh City Youth (Thong Nhat Stadium), Gia Dinh and Van Hien University (two teams that have just won promotion).
After merging with Quang Nam, Da Nang also owns 3 football teams. However, Da Nang only has 2 professional clubs, SHB Da Nang and Quang Nam. The remaining team, Da Nang Youth, plays in the second division.
But there are two strong professional clubs, none of which come from the new Ninh Binh province, after the merger between Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh.
Hoang Duc (left) and Phu Dong Ninh Binh Club are formidable alongside the team from the same province, Nam Dinh - Photo: VPF
This locality has Phu Dong Ninh Binh Club, which has just won promotion to V-League with a record of 20 unbeaten matches (19 wins) in the 2024-2025 first division, and Nam Dinh Club, which has just won the 2024-2025 V-League championship for the second consecutive time. This also creates a much-anticipated derby between the two teams in the same province.
The new Gia Lai province after the merger between Gia Lai and Binh Dinh also has two professional clubs. However, both of these professional clubs do not have the opportunity to play together at the highest level of Vietnamese football.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club will compete in the 2025-2026 V-League while Quy Nhon Binh Dinh Club will have to play in the 2025-2026 First Division, after finishing last in the 2024-2025 V-League and being relegated.
Luckily for Quy Nhon Binh Dinh Club after merging with the province, Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club will support players and coaching staff for the martial arts team, while operating expenses will still be paid by the team's old sponsor.
The new Dong Nai province after merging with Binh Phuoc also has one more professional club. In addition to Dong Nai Club, Dong Nai province also has Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc Club competing in the First Division.
In particular, Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc Club continues to receive strong investment from businesses to win promotion to V-League after losing 0-2 in the promotion play-off match with SHB Da Nang Club in June.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai (left) and Quy Nhon Binh Dinh will be in the same province after the merger - Photo: VPF
No change whether merged or not
Phu Tho province was recently merged from three provinces: Vinh Phuc, Hoa Binh and Phu Tho. However, this locality only has one professional club playing in the first division, Hoa Binh.
The old Phu Tho province once had Phu Tho Club that competed in the 2025 Second Division but was relegated by FIFA and VFF after only 3 matches due to its involvement in corruption in the 2023-2024 First Division.
Hue City is not merged. However, football here is too sad when there is no more professional club. Because Hue Club has just been relegated to the second division after finishing last in the 2024-2025 First Division.
Localities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Dong Thap, and Quang Ninh will not have significant disruptions whether the province is merged or not.
Hanoi without the merger still has 3 professional teams: Hanoi Club, Hanoi Police and The Cong - Viettel. Besides, there are two non-professional clubs, Hanoi Youth and Hoai Duc, competing in the Second Division.
PVF-CAND (red shirt) and Khanh Hoa are the only two professional football teams in the new Hung Yen and new Khanh Hoa provinces - Photo: VPF
Similar to Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Ninh did not merge into provinces and each place only has 1 professional club. Thanh Hoa Club, Song Lam Nghe An, Hong Linh Ha Tinh compete in V-League. Meanwhile, Quang Ninh Club competes in the First Division after just winning the right to be promoted.
The new Hai Phong city after merging with Hai Duong province still only has one professional club, Hai Phong, competing in the V-League.
The new Hung Yen province after merging with Thai Binh only has the professional club PVF-CAND competing in the First Division. Along with that, there are 2 non-professional teams PVF-CAND Youth and PVF competing in the Second Division.
The new Khanh Hoa province after merging with Ninh Thuan only has 1 professional club, Khanh Hoa, competing in the First Division.
The new Dong Thap province after merging with Tien Giang has only 1 professional club Dong Thap playing in the first division.
The new Tay Ninh province after merging with Long An has only 1 professional club, Long An, which has just competed in the 2024-2025 First Division. However, whether Long An Club will change its name to Tay Ninh and continue to compete in the First Division next season has not yet been decided.
The new Bac Ninh province after merging with Bac Giang has only 1 professional club, Bac Ninh, which has just won the right to compete in the 2025-2026 First Division.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tp-hcm-co-6-clb-bong-da-chuyen-nghiep-20250707102443493.htm
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