Interesting highlights of V.League
"With the merger of provinces and cities from July 1, 2025, V.League will have more derbies with provinces and cities. This is an opportunity to develop the tournament image, while expecting changes in football management and development to suit the capacity and actual conditions of localities.
In addition, there is an increase in traditional fan base, with identity and brand associated with local traditions", VPF announced at the V.League 2025-2026 draw ceremony nearly a month ago.
At the time VPF issued the announcement, Ho Chi Minh City club was transferred to Ho Chi Minh City Police; Becamex Binh Duong changed its name to Becamex Ho Chi Minh City. Thanks to that, football in the city named after Uncle Ho will witness the derby in V.League again, after Saigon FC disbanded in March 2023.
In addition, after Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam merged into Ninh Binh province, the derby between rookie Ninh Binh and defending champion Nam Dinh also appeared, promising to bring an exciting development to fans, especially when both teams have strong potential and quality squads.
In addition to the appearance of 2 new derbies, the V.League next season will also witness familiar matches from 3 traditional teams in the capital, The Cong Viettel, Hanoi Police and Hanoi FC.
In total, V.League 2025-2026 will have 5 derby pairs in each stage. Rarely has the national professional league had so many derbies in history.
Similar classes
In addition to the quantity and quality of derbies in V.League 2025-2026, the similarity is also guaranteed.
In the capital, from 2023 to present, Hanoi Police, Hanoi FC and The Cong Viettel have always been leading candidates for the championship. This season, to continue to aim for the familiar goal, these 3 teams have been actively operating in the transfer market.
A series of quality new players from domestic and foreign players to overseas Vietnamese were brought in to compete. This promises to bring dramatic, highly professional matches in V.League 2025-2026 revolving around these 3 teams.
The remaining 2 local derby pairs in Ninh Binh and Ho Chi Minh City also witnessed "eight-wheeled, one-half-weight".
Nam Dinh, as the reigning V.League champions, has been shopping big before the season started. Njabulo Blom, Caique, Mahmoud Eid - 3 of the new recruits that the team from Thanh Nam recruited are currently in the top 10 most highly rated players in V.League (according to the transfer website Transfermarkt).
Ninh Binh rookies also shop actively. Up to now, the ancient capital team has 7 foreign players and 2 overseas Vietnamese players. In which, Chung Nguyen Do (Tran Thanh Trung) caused Ninh Binh to spend billions of dong in transfer money.
This famous contract is also number 1 in value in the list of U23 players in Southeast Asia today. Ambition and uncompromising investments from Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh promise to create an attractive derby in the V.League next season.
Not as traditional as the Capital derby, nor as fierce and ambitious as the match between Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh, the match between Becamex HCMC and HCMC Police still attracts attention.
The name Ho Chi Minh City Police has just returned to the map of Vietnamese football after more than 20 years of absence. This team needs more time to gradually build a squad before thinking about the big ambition in the V.League.
The appearance of coach Le Huynh Duc and a number of experienced national players and former national players such as Tien Linh, Duc Huy, Huy Toan... will be the foundation for Ho Chi Minh City Police to take the first step in the long-term roadmap.
Meanwhile, Becamex HCMC is "changing" its forces, after the departure of Duc Chinh, Ngoc Hai, Tuyen Quang, Thien Duc, Duy Khanh and especially Tien Linh. The task of coach Nguyen Anh Duc in this year's season is to rebuild the squad, build new people in line with the philosophy that he wants to build.
