Vietnamese football faces turbulence ahead of the new season

The 2026/27 season will not start for over a month, yet unfavorable developments are impacting numerous teams across both the V-League and the First Division. This has become a recurring pattern in Vietnamese football over the years.

At this moment, Thanh Hóa faces the risk of failing to find a financial way out, Bắc Ninh raises doubts about its preparation for its debut season in theV-League, and Quảng Ninh has once again fallen into a spiral of salary debts.

Once again, Vietnamese football is confronted with a familiar but unanswered question: how can clubs achieve sustainable survival?

This is a sad cycle for theV-League. Before the new season even begins, stories about finances, unpaid wages, or the threat of dissolution become the focal point instead of new contracts or professional goals.

Notably, this is not the first time domestic football has faced such a situation. Last season, Quảng Nam withdrew from the V-League, and PVF-CAND took their place. Just one year later, that dark cloud is again covering many clubs in both the V-League and the First Division.

The most worrying case right now is Thanh Hóa. This traditional powerhouse of Vietnamese football is in serious deadlock after its parent company requested to return the club to the province due to an inability to maintain operations financially.

With just over a month until the new season, the future of the club from Thanh Hóa remains a huge question mark. Thanh Hóajust completed a season full of determination.

Under coach Mai Xuân Hợp, the team fought with spirit, overcoming countless difficulties to successfully secure their place in the league. At one point, they were almost "handicapped" across the competition due to severe squad shortages, unable to field a full set of foreign players like many rivals.

But fighting spirit cannot forever replace the financial equation. A professional club cannot survive solely on pride and determination.

If Thanh Hóa has yet to find a way out, then the V-League newcomer Bắc Ninh also leaves fans doubtful. After defeating PVF-CAND in the playoff to earn promotion, the Kinh Bắc team has shown little significant activity for its first season in the top tier.

From squad strength, operational structure, to stadium issues—everything remains uncertain. The V-League is a completely different arena from the First Division, requiring thorough preparation in finances, facilities, and squad depth.

Without systematic investment, Bắc Ninh could face a challenging season. Compared to another newcomer, Đồng Nai, which has been aggressively upgrading its squad, Bắc Ninh has made no notable moves.

Meanwhile, in the First Division, the positive signals from the league returning to a full 14-team format are overshadowed by the same old worries.

Quảng Ninh has just witnessed many players simultaneously filing petitions due to unpaid wages for three months. That image cannot help but sadden fans from the mining region.

A once-traditional club that had to dissolve due to financial crisis, and now the name Quảng Ninh is again linked to stories of salary arrears and delayed benefits.

More sadly, this club had just completed a fairly successful relegation survival season without using foreign players, mainly relying on local talent with modest compensation. But even those efforts were not enough to bring stability.

Besides Quảng Ninh, Đồng Tháp may also change its name after relocating its operations to Ho Chi Minh City. Newcomers like Trẻ Hà Nội, Lâm Đồng, or Huế also need to be monitored.