Can foreign players help elevate the V-League?

Coaches, players, and football experts all acknowledge that foreign players have helped raise the professional level of the V-League, creating competition and attracting viewers.

Ahead of the new season, seven V-League clubs have simultaneously proposed increasing the number of foreign players allowed on the field in a match to four, instead of the current three.

The shopping race

The services of famous players also reflect the value and prestige of wealthy teams. Conversely, teams with limited operating budgets will face many challenges in the league, and may even struggle if they do not have a sound player acquisition policy.

Since the V-League was professionalized, allowing the use of foreign players, many teams have risen to the top, achieving success in Vietnam's most prestigious league. Nam Dinh FC's two consecutive V-League championships are proof of their willingness to spend heavily on recruiting and utilizing high-quality foreign players.

The use of foreign players has become a hot topic ahead of the 2025-2026 V-League season. Photo: VPF

On July 9th, the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) received a proposal from Nam Dinh, Hanoi, Hanoi Police (CAHN), The Cong- Viettel , Hai Phong, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, and Da Nang clubs requesting permission to use four foreign players per match, instead of the current three. VPF stated that a final decision will be made in mid-July 2025 – the time of the V-League 2025-2026 season draw.

Nam Dinh FC's leadership stated that the team had invested in four foreign players to compete in the AFC and ASEAN tournaments, but were only allowed to use a maximum of three per match, resulting in "wasted resources." If the regulations were adjusted, teams would have more tactical options and greater flexibility in personnel changes.

Sharing the same view, coach Pham Minh Duc commented: "If teams are not allowed to use all four foreign players, they will suffer a significant loss in terms of personnel, especially when they have prepared their squads for international competitions."

Previously, in March 2025, at the 8th conference (2022-2026 term), the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) agreed to allow each club to register 4 foreign players, but limited it to 3 players on the field at the same time in the V-League. Teams participating in Asian/Southeast Asian competitions would be allowed to register up to 7 foreign players, but only a maximum of 3 could be used on the field at any one time.

The transfer market ahead of the 2025-2026 V-League season is witnessing the dominance of financially strong teams such as Nam Dinh, CAHN, Viettel, and Ninh Binh . These teams are constantly updating their rosters with high-quality foreign and overseas Vietnamese players.

Nam Dinh FC and CAHN are optimizing their foreign player rosters to compete in international competitions. Meanwhile, newcomer Ninh Binh is actively building its squad, strengthening its team with players from Spain, Brazil, and other countries to compete for the top spot in the V-League.

Challenges for domestic players

VFF Vice President Tran Anh Tu commented that the participation of high-level foreign players will raise the professional quality of the V-League, opening up opportunities for domestic players to learn, gain experience, and improve. This competition also creates more motivation for Vietnamese players to progress and strive harder in training and competition.

By allowing the use of up to four foreign players, the professional level of the V-League can approach that of regional leagues such as the Thai-League or the Malaysia Super League – where foreign players are fielded more frequently. The Thai-League and Malaysia Super League allow the registration of 7-12 foreign players, with up to five on the field per match.

The V-League would be more attractive if more top players from around the world gathered to compete. However, this would also narrow playing opportunities for domestic players, especially in the context of V-League teams competing for results. Furthermore, the disparity in skill levels between teams would become more apparent, with the "big spenders" vying for the championship and the struggling teams battling to avoid relegation.

Using too many foreign players also causes teams to lose their playing identity and hinders the development of young local talent. Many young players who have previously played for the Vietnam U22 team lack experience in the V-League because they are "overshadowed" and struggle to compete for playing time with foreign players.

Football expert Doan Minh Xuong commented: "Allowing the use of foreign players helps strong teams improve their international competitiveness, but we must not forget the number one priority: developing domestic players. Even with an increase in foreign players, the V-League still needs policies to ensure playing opportunities for domestic players. Developed football leagues in Asia all have regulations regarding the percentage of foreign players in the starting lineup to protect domestic talent."

Many experts believe that the most important thing is to strike a balance between improving the league's standards and protecting domestic players – especially young players who could become pillars of the national team. Without appropriate regulations on the number of domestic players allowed on the field, there is a high risk that Vietnamese players will constantly be relegated to the bench.

"Clubs should commit to the quality of training domestic players – ensuring a sufficient number of talented individuals are developed and have a chance to advance to the professional league. Without long-term planning, the risk of eliminating domestic talent locally is ever-present," expert Doan Minh Xuong observed.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/cau-thu-nuoc-ngoai-giup-nang-tam-v-league-196250710211139392.htm