Vietnamese women's football is undergoing radical changes.
The draw for the women's national football championship schedule took place on May 20th. At this event, the schedule for the 2026 season was finalized.
The title race this season is mainly between four teams: Ho Chi Minh City (the defending champion), Hanoi (runner-up), Vietnam Coal and Mineral Corporation, and Thai Nguyen T&T. These are also the teams with the best potential, possessing national team players for many years. The remaining three teams in the league are Hanoi 2, Ho Chi Minh City 2, and Ha Nam.
Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club 1 (yellow jerseys) is the reigning champion of the National Women's Football Championship.
PHOTO: VFF
Unlike previous seasons where each leg of the tournament was played in a different location, this year's competition follows a double round-robin format with alternating home and away matches, similar to men's football. This allows clubs to connect more closely with local fans and to systematically develop facilities for training and competition.
2026 marks a breakthrough as the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) implements a pilot program for licensing clubs in the national women's football championship. The process is conducted online and is mandatory for all clubs, aiming to enhance professionalism, transparency, and sustainable development for Vietnamese women's football in the coming period. The first leg of the tournament will take place from June 20th to July 19th, while the second leg will be from July 23rd to August 21st. The tournament will consist of a total of 42 matches, held in Hanoi, Ninh Binh , Quang Ninh, Thai Nguyen, and Ho Chi Minh City.
The winning team will represent Vietnam in the AFC Women's Champions League 2027-2028 season.
In their opening matches of the National Women's Football Championship, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club 1 faced Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club 2, Hanoi 2 competed against Hanoi 1, and Thai Nguyen T&T played at home against Ha Nam.
Women's football leagues with foreign players
In the 2026 Women's National Football Championship, teams will be allowed to register one foreign player to strengthen their squad.
Ho Chi Minh City Women's Team 1 once reached the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League.
PHOTO: KHA HOA
The presence of foreign players promises to increase the competitiveness of the teams. For example, in the AFC Women's Champions League over the past two years, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club reached the semi-finals (2025-2026) and quarter-finals (2026-2027) respectively thanks to their foreign and overseas Vietnamese players who possess good height and professional skills.
In the 2026 National Cup, currently taking place in Thai Nguyen, clubs are also allowed to use a maximum of one foreign player.
Joelma Gabriel of Ho Chi Minh City Women's Team 1 made history by becoming the first foreign player to score in a professional and official women's football match in Vietnam. Thai Nguyen T&T Women's Club also recruited foreign player Rebecca Lake (New Zealand) with ambitions to conquer the championship.
Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club 1 is the reigning champion of the tournament and also the most successful team in history with 14 titles, including 7 consecutive championships from 2019 to the present.
The main sponsor of the 2026 National Women's Football Championship is Thai Son Bac. This marks the 15th consecutive year that the company has partnered with women's football. This is significant encouragement, demonstrating the strong commitment of the main sponsor to the development of women's football in Vietnam.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cuoc-cach-revolution-bong-da-nu-viet-nam-185260520110310311.htm
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