Will V-League 2025 - 2026 be the most worth-watching football season in history? - Photo: NGOC LE
According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rankings, V-League ranks third in Southeast Asia, after Thai League (Thai Championship) and Malaysia Super League (Malaysian Championship).
This ranking is based on the performance of national championship clubs competing in Asian competitions.
Over the past few years, Thailand and Malaysia have both had clubs advancing deep into the Asian leagues, so it is no surprise that these two national championships are ranked highly.
V-League strives to improve image
In the past, Vietnamese clubs did not really care about the Asian arena because they were considered beyond their reach. Therefore, the V-League was not highly regarded internationally. There was even a time when Vietnamese football lost its place in the most prestigious club arena in Asia.
But this has changed in the past 1-2 years, when Vietnamese clubs have been determined to achieve high results in the Asian arena.
Last season, Nam Dinh FC invested heavily in foreign players with the hope of going far in the AFC Champions League Two. Although they were eliminated early in the first knockout round, Nam Dinh showed that everything was very positive.
This season, they continue to invest in more foreign players to "advance to Asia". Besides that, the Hanoi Police Club - the team that has also brought in many quality foreign players with the expectation of making a mark in the Asian tournament.
Experts believe that if Vietnamese clubs are serious about competing in the Asian arena, the V-League will soon be highly regarded again. However, the fundamental thing is that the clubs must reap success - which is not easy when the opponents also invest heavily. In terms of international impact, the V-League is behind many championships in the region, but it is not too late to really care about that now.
V-League has high transfer value
In terms of transfer value of the entire national championship, V-League currently ranks third in the region after Thailand and Indonesia. Specifically, V-League has a total value of approximately more than 55 million euros, far behind Indonesia (75.68 million euros) and Thailand (77.49 million euros).
It is quite surprising that the second-ranked tournament in the region, the Malaysia Super League (51.49 million euros), has a total transfer value lower than the V-League.
In fact, transfer value does not fully reflect the strength of national championships. But it outlines the level of investment and potential of football foundations. Indonesian football is looking to build a strong national championship commensurate with the level of the national team.
With its abundant economic potential, Indonesia is expected to soon break out. Meanwhile, the Malaysian Championship, although ranked highly, has raised concerns about its decline due to the dominance of Johor Darul Ta'zim Club.
In terms of competitiveness, the V-League is not inferior to clubs in Southeast Asia as the level of the teams is quite similar. However, the quality of organization and operation, including the condition of the stadium, is still an obstacle that makes the V-League not commensurate with the inherent level of the clubs.
Experts say that the Thai-League's operating method is more professional than the V-League, although the teams' level is not superior. Just look at the way Thai clubs compete with V-League teams in the Shopee Cup and you will understand.
V-League is facing a great opportunity to change, but the important thing is how the clubs and the "judges" grasp it!
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/v-league-o-dau-so-voi-cac-giai-dong-nam-a-20250824102055673.htm
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