Ready to write new history

VHO - The draw and schedule of the LPBank National Football Championship 1-2025/26 was held in Hanoi on the afternoon of July 14. The event not only marked the start of the professional football season after 25 years in Vietnam, but also opened a new exciting chapter for the first time, the city named after Uncle Ho (after merging Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau) became the "multi-polar center" of domestic football with six representatives in parallel in the professional leagues.

Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Nam Nhan (on the right)

The new look of the football "capital" of the South.

In the era of administrative boundary reforms, Ho Chi Minh City has expanded and possesses many advantages that are "hard to find rivals," with a population exceeding 14 million, a GRDP accounting for more than 23% of the national GDP, and a strongly developed logistics infrastructure. When the two localities with rich sporting traditions, Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, officially merged, the potential of Ho Chi Minh City's football was significantly amplified.

At the very top of the professional league, spectators will witness the return of Ho Chi Minh City Police (the new name of Ho Chi Minh City FC) alongside Becamex Ho Chi Minh City - a team that won the national championship three times when they played for Binh Duong . In the First Division, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City Youth, Gia Dinh, and Van Hien University continue to enrich the urban football map. Six colors, six identities, but a shared aspiration to transform the new Ho Chi Minh City into a football "capital".

Mr. Nguyen Nam Nhan, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized: "Football used to be the soul of Saigon's urban culture. Now, as Ho Chi Minh City expands its boundaries, we have determined that sports (especially football) must become a connecting thread for the community, promoting the night-time economy , tourism, and creativity."

The city leadership has tasked the Sports Department with coordinating and guiding clubs in building a professional management model, strengthening youth training, standardizing facilities, and meeting new development requirements. With the strengths of being the country's largest economic center, the attention of the city leadership, and the love of football among the people of Ho Chi Minh City, we hope to bring fans high-quality matches, revive the glory of iconic teams like Saigon Port in the past, and create more cultural and entertainment destinations for the city.”

Mr. Nguyen Nam Nhan believes that the six teams will be a "launching pad" for the local football ecosystem: "From the youth academy to the professional level, we want Ho Chi Minh City players to be able to contribute to the national team, while simultaneously creating a chain of economic, media, and tourism value right on the pitch. We are deeply aware that football is not just a 90-minute game, but also an economic and tourism lever, a cultural nucleus. When a child dreams of wearing the city's team jersey, that is the deepest success. The Department of Culture and Sports will work alongside the VFF, VPF, and businesses to nurture talent, improve the quality of the league, and aim for a new image of Ho Chi Minh City - a dynamic, inclusive, and modern sports city."

The LPBank V.League 1-2025/26 season kicks off on August 15th with 14 clubs: Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City Police, Hanoi Police, Dong A Thanh Hoa, Hanoi FC, Hai Phong, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Quang Nam, SHB Da Nang, Song Lam Nghe An, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh, and The Cong Viettel. The double round-robin format (26 rounds, 182 matches) ensures fairness, while the total prize money of 9.5 billion VND for the top three teams is enough to stimulate championship ambitions.

But what fans are most looking forward to are the "local derby matches," such as Ho Chi Minh City Police vs. Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi Police vs. The Cong Viettel, or SHB Da Nang vs. Quang Nam...

For the new season, Becamex Binh Duong players will have a new name, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, and will become one of the two teams from Ho Chi Minh City playing in the V.League. Photo: VPF

Positioning the "megacity" on the regional football map.

Representatives of VPF expect that inter-provincial/city derby matches will be an opportunity to develop the image of the league, as well as to bring about changes in the management and development of football to suit the capabilities and actual conditions of the localities; in addition, it is expected to increase the number of traditional fans, bringing identity, brand, and connection to local traditions.

VPF has developed codes to allow teams from the same province to play against each other in the early rounds of the first and second halves of the season, while also ensuring the best possible organization related to VAR, live television broadcasting, and audience viewing.

The 2025/26 season has a very tight schedule. Right after the 2024/25 National Super Cup (9.8), clubs enter a "marathon". The two teams at the bottom of the table will be directly relegated. The new regulations turn every point, every play into an invaluable asset, forcing clubs to invest in squad depth.

The transfer market was therefore bustling even before the first "window" closed on September 14, 2025. Many coaches prioritized recruiting tall, strong central defenders and strikers capable of creating breakthroughs, alongside hunting for foreign players to maximize registration slots for teams not participating in the AFC Champions League. Teams participating in continental cups are allowed to register seven foreign players, but only three can play at a time.

On June 28, 2026, the National Cup final will conclude the longest football season of the decade. But before thinking about glory, the LPBank V.League 1-2025/26 needs to go through each test round. Six representatives from Ho Chi Minh City, two from Hanoi, along with leading teams with strong identities like SLNA, HAGL, and Nam Dinh will create a colorful tapestry.

With its new geographical location, new resources, and renewed determination, Ho Chi Minh City football is no longer simply a "city team," but has become a symbol of a megacity establishing itself on the Southeast Asian football map. The LPBank V.League 1-2025/26 is the launching pad to affirm that value, where fans anticipate fiery derby matches, managers expect record revenue, and young players dream of reaching continental heights.

When the opening whistle blows, the new season will not only tell the story of 90 minutes on the field, but also recreate the journey of Vietnamese football's integration: the aspiration to reach further, to unite the community, and to spread the spirit of modern, standardized, and humane sportsmanship. And in that picture, Ho Chi Minh City, with its six warriors wearing six different jerseys, is ready to write a new chapter in its own history and for the V.League.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/san-sang-viet-nen-trang-su-moi-152673.html