NEARLY 50% OF CLUBS ARE COMPETING FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Nam Dinh FC has dominated the V-League for the past two seasons and they have also shown a desire to achieve a hat-trick of championships, demonstrated through their transfer market signings. The team from Nam Dinh has retained all its key players while strengthening positions that were lacking, with center-back Dang Van Toi, full-back A Mit, midfielder Eid Mahmoud, and striker Kyle Hudlin. These new signings have all integrated well, especially Hudlin, who scored a brace in the National Super Cup match against Hanoi Police FC (CAHN).
However, Nam Dinh FC's journey to defend their title will undoubtedly face many challenges. Their first major competitor is CAHN FC, the team that defeated the V-League champions in the National Super Cup. Coach Alexandre Polking's team has maintained its attacking quality with players like Quang Hai, Alan Grafite, and Leo Artur. They have also strengthened their defense with young, energetic, and skilled newcomers such as Pham Ly Duc and Adou Minh. Currently, CAHN FC's squad is more balanced than last season.
The other two teams from the capital also joined the race. Viettel FC brought in a host of talented players, most notably top scorer Lucao, Dang Van Tram, Lee Williams… In total, they recruited 10 new players in their ambition to return to the top of Vietnamese football. Meanwhile, Hanoi FC was not as active in the transfer market thanks to their deep and stable squad with many national team players. Their most notable signing was midfielder Hendrio Araujo, a former Barcelona U.16 player.
V-League Round 1 Fixtures
Nam Dinh FC (left) and CAHN are the two leading contenders for the V-League championship.
PHOTO: MINH TU
Ninh Binh FC and Ho Chi Minh City Police FC don't have the squad depth of the four teams mentioned above. However, their teams are still formidable. Both possess key players from the Vietnamese national team and have recruited many high-quality, high-value foreign players, so they cannot be ruled out of the championship race.
V-League: Unpredictable Relegation Battle
In the 2025-2026 season, the two teams at the bottom of the V-League table will be directly relegated, and the 13th-placed team will not have the opportunity to play a play-off match against the First Division runner-up as in the previous season. Therefore, the relegation battle will be much more intense and challenging. The lower-ranked teams understand this and are actively preparing for the new season. Besides signing new players, lower-ranked clubs like HAGL and Da Nang are undertaking overseas training camps (HAGL to Thailand, Da Nang to Singapore). This is a valuable period, helping players gain experience, maintain fitness, and also providing a change of scenery and increased enthusiasm before the start of the new season.
PVF-CAND FC, the team replacing Quang Nam FC, has also significantly improved its strength. They've filled the gap in experience with a series of veteran players such as Truong Van Thai Quy, Joseph Mpande, and Hoang Vu Samson. Adding to this are U23 Vietnam national team players like Nguyen Hieu Minh, Nguyen Bao Long, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, and Nguyen Xuan Bac…, Coach Thach Bao Khanh's team is ready to spring surprises. Therefore, mid-table teams like Hai Phong, Ha Tinh, and Thanh Hoa cannot afford to be complacent.
The V-League 2025-2026 therefore promises to be a "heated" season at both ends of the standings. At the top, nearly half of the teams aim for the championship, creating an unprecedentedly fierce race. At the bottom, the pressure of direct relegation makes every point precious. In that scenario, every match will have the feel of a final.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/v-league-nong-bong-tay-o-ca-hai-cuc-185250813210518077.htm
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