From V-League to AFC Champions League

According to an announcement from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Vietnamese football will not be eligible to participate in the AFC Champions League Elite but will have two direct slots in the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26.

Nam Dinh (in white jerseys) during their match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan in the AFC Champions League Two 2024/25. Photo: Song Ngoc

Last year, Thanh Hoa, as the National Cup champions, and Nam Dinh, the V-League champions, were scheduled by the AFC to play in the AFC Champions League Two. However, Thanh Hoa withdrew from the continental competition. According to AFC regulations, withdrawing from the competition will result in a points deduction, negatively impacting Vietnamese football when the AFC calculates the allocation of slots in the three continental club competitions.

Participating in prestigious, high-quality continental tournaments is a source of pride for clubs in other countries in the region or continent, but for Vietnamese teams, it has long been a burden. The story of Thanh Hoa requesting not to participate in the AFC Champions League Two 2024/25 season is actually not too surprising considering the current state of V-League clubs.

This is a typical "slice" of the current state of Vietnamese football. The expectation that Vietnamese football would gain points and qualify for higher-level tournaments like the AFC Champions League Elite has yet to be realized.

Even after 25 professional seasons, if you carefully examine and thoroughly analyze the criteria required of a professional football club, you'd find that the number of clubs that meet the standards can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Specifically, the conditions of the pitches and training and competition facilities are still very limited. The financial situation is unstable and dependent on sponsors. Some clubs do not have enough youth teams as required. A professional football system needs truly professional clubs. These are also issues that Vietnamese football needs to quickly build upon and improve sustainably in the future.

Looking back, it's clear that domestic clubs have rarely prioritized Asian competitions. Limited funding and a significant gap in skill level with clubs in the Asian region have been major obstacles that Vietnamese teams have struggled to overcome.

Meanwhile, the pressure to perform well in domestic leagues like the V-League and First Division is immense. Therefore, teams often opt for a more relaxed approach in continental competitions.

In reality, several domestic clubs have shown interest and invested in the aspiration to "reach the big leagues" by participating in the AFC Champions League, but that's not enough. In the 2023/24 AFC Champions League season, Hanoi FC defeated both defending champions Urawa Reds and Wuhan Three Towns but were still eliminated after the group stage. That was the best performance in this competition by a V-League representative. This also reveals that we can do better if we have a well-structured development roadmap and strategy.

Nam Dinh and CAHN will enter the 2025/26 season facing both challenges and opportunities as they participate in two competitions: the AFC Champions League Two and the ASEAN Football Clubs Championship. If they perform impressively, they will not only solidify their position but also contribute to improving V-League standings, bringing Vietnamese football closer to the AFC Champions League Elite.

To make a real impact in continental tournaments and to catch up with clubs from Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, Vietnamese clubs must invest more consistently, continuously, and decisively. Given that Thai and Malaysian football have both made a significant impact in the AFC Champions League Elite, Vietnamese clubs need to demonstrate their genuine ambition.

Undeniably, Vietnamese football has seen strong growth at the national team, U23, and youth levels in recent times. All of this has significantly improved the country's standing and its position in the FIFA rankings. However, V-League clubs remain too "small" when participating in the AFC Champions League. These are issues that Vietnamese football needs to address in the future.

The foundation of every football system and national team lies in the clubs. Therefore, the long-term development roadmap of the teams, including ambitions in the AFC Champions League Elite, is a crucial factor in promoting the progress of Vietnamese football. When will Vietnamese football clubs make history on the continental stage? That is a big question that those responsible for Vietnamese football need to answer soon.

Tran Tuan/VNA

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/tu-v-league-den-afc-champions-league-195613.htm