Just one day before the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, which is the afternoon of the 28th of Tet (February 15), the player of Dong A Thanh Hoa club received the delayed salary from the managing team.
According to information from inside the team, the leaders of the Thanh Hoa team committed to pay the two months of outstanding salary previously. In the context that the team does not have a source of competition bonuses, this amount of money helps players have conditions to prepare for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Before entering the holiday season, Thanh Hoa still maintained competition in the 2025-2026 V.League with a shortage of players. Coach Mai Xuan Hop's team achieved positive results when drawing with Nam Dinh 2-2 and winning against Ho Chi Minh City Police 2-1 away from home.
However, the registered squad at one point only included 17 players, including 3 goalkeepers and some players who were injured.
In the past time, some individuals and organizations have mobilized donations to support the team, with a total amount of more than 372 million VND. This is a short-term source of encouragement, while the plan for transfer, maintenance of operations and financial resources for the second leg of the 2025-2026 season has not been specifically determined.
Previously, in early February, representatives of Dong A Thanh Hoa club said that the team had not received any outside support and had to balance operating costs themselves. The team's leaders admitted that they had used personal resources to maintain operations, but this is not a long-term solution. Salary and transfer fee debts still exist, creating pressure on professional activities.
Currently, Thanh Hoa is subject to a transfer ban from FIFA, making it impossible for the team to strengthen its forces. This makes the current squad have to play with high density, lacking replacement options when players are injured or overloaded. Personnel risks continue to be present in the remainder of the season.
After the match with Nam Dinh, the coaching staff and club leaders sent a document requesting support to local authorities. For many months, no solution has been announced.
Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism responded that football businesses operate according to the provisions of the Enterprise Law and the Law on Physical Education and Sports, so there is no legal basis to provide financial and personnel support from the state budget, and at the same time requested the team to proactively mobilize legal socialized resources.
After the Tet holiday, the financial, legal and personnel issues of Thanh Hoa club have not been resolved. The team continues to face the challenge of maintaining stable operations for the rest of the season.
