Central football in turmoil

Quang Nam , Da Nang and Binh Dinh used to be "big guys", achieving high results in the V-League. However, at the end of the 2024-2025 season, Binh Dinh Club had to be relegated to the First Division, at risk of dissolution due to limited operating costs. Meanwhile, Quang Nam and Da Nang struggled to stay in the V-League successfully, but the journey back to the top position in the domestic tournament is still far away.

Quang Nam football team at risk of disbandment

The Organizing Committee of V-League 2025-2026 announced the competition regulations and organized the draw and division of matches on July 14. Accordingly, Quang Nam will start the new season by welcoming Song Lam Nghe An at Tam Ky Stadium on August 15.

However, the Quang Nam football team suddenly announced the possibility of disbanding or merging with Da Nang Club because it has not found a sponsor for the new season. The leader of Quang Nam Club said that the team is implementing 2 options, including proposing to the leaders of the City People's Committee and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to direct the search and invite local businesses to sponsor the team to continue to maintain and develop sustainably.

In the absence of a new sponsor, the team's leadership proposes to transfer all staff, workers, athletes, and young players of Quang Nam Football Development Joint Stock Company, Quang Nam Football Club, and Quang Nam Youth Football Training Center to SHB Da Nang Sports Joint Stock Company for management.

With less than a month to go until the start of the 2025-2026 V-League, finding a sponsor for Quang Nam Club has become difficult. Immediately after receiving the notice from the leaders, the players on trial at the team also packed their bags and left the Tam Ky headquarters.

A representative of Quang Nam Club said: "The company's leadership's viewpoint is that any player who decides to stay will be considered, and any player who wants to leave will be given maximum conditions."

Binh Dinh and Khanh Hoa find it difficult to maintain operations.

Before the 2025-2026 season, Binh Dinh Club is said to be able to maintain its activities at a moderate level in the First Division with a budget of 30 billion VND. In addition, the option of merging with Hoang Anh Gia Lai is also being considered, after the two provinces of Binh Dinh and Gia Lai merge from July 1, 2025. However, the leadership of the martial arts team has decided to still participate in the 2025-2026 First Division, continuing to use the current core to compete in this tournament.

The leader of Binh Dinh Club said that the policy is already in place, but the personnel situation and the team's concentration plan will only be decided next week: "We have decided that Gia Lai province will still have two professional teams. Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club will be managed by Mr. Doan Nguyen Duc, and Binh Dinh Club will be managed by Hung Thinh Group. We have just finalized the personnel, restructured the team, from players to the coaching staff and will complete the personnel in the near future."

Bóng đá miền Trung lao đao - Ảnh 1. — Quang Nam Club may not participate in V-League 2025-2026. Photo: VPF

In the same situation, the future of Khanh Hoa Club became gloomy when the managing unit just sent a document to Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee requesting to terminate the team's activities. Khanh Hoa Club exists as a subsidiary unit of a state-owned enterprise, which is no longer consistent with the restructuring orientation set forth by the Government for the period 2021-2025. In addition, football activities are assessed as being outside the main business area, violating current legal regulations for public enterprises.

Therefore, whether the team will continue to exist or not still has to wait for the decision from the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province, the local governing body. Previously, the "coastal city" team had proactively said goodbye to a series of experienced players to focus on rebuilding the force from young local talents.

Before the news that V-League 2025-2026 is at risk of having 13 participating teams, VFF and VPF both confirmed that they have not received any official documents about Quang Nam Club not participating in V-League 2025-2026 or requesting to merge with Da Nang Club.