The pitch surface affects both image and expertise
"The stadium is like this, affecting the quality and achievements of the team", coach Velizar Popov has repeatedly complained about Thanh Hoa Stadium - the home stadium of the team he is leading.
For many different reasons, the grass of this stadium is often very bad in January to March, which is the time of cold and frosty winter in the North.
Most recently, Da Nang club had to decide to borrow Tam Ky Stadium (Quang Nam) as their home stadium in the second leg of V.League 2024-2025, instead of continuing to play at Hoa Xuan Stadium.
Accordingly, the Hoa Xuan field surface is seriously degraded, almost unusable for professional football competition purposes. Coach Le Duc Tuan and his team had to accept losing the advantage from the fans.
In terms of image, fans do not want to witness a tournament taking place on very unsightly pitches, evoking an unprofessional image. Clubs also find it difficult to play well or play beautifully in such conditions.
Recently, former national team player Tran Nguyen Manh was impressed that Vietnam should have a beautiful and quality stadium like the home stadium of Sanfrecce Hiroshima - Nam Dinh's opponent in the AFC Champions League Two.
Not only fans but also the players directly competing are waiting for the change.
VPF takes strong action
Many previous seasons, based on the actual situation, Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) still had to issue exemplary licenses to a number of clubs that did not meet the standards for the stadium.
Until the last 2 seasons, the situation of home fields of teams in disrepair has continued without a decreasing trend.
Recently, VPF directly inspected the quality of Ha Tinh and Quy Nhon stadiums. A time frame has been set for teams to urgently improve to ensure eligibility for competition. Otherwise, they will have to choose a reserve stadium for home matches. VPF's message is very clear, there will be no more tolerance and exceptions.
On February 25, if Quy Nhon and Ha Tinh Stadium still do not meet the requirements, Binh Dinh and Hong Linh Ha Tinh clubs will have to leave their "home". Only when their rights are directly affected, will the teams really resolutely renovate the stadium.
However, there are still teams that take the initiative to do this. The renovation of Hoa Xuan Stadium has begun early, or Tam Ky has reached the finish line and has a good enough grass surface after more than 1 year of maintenance. Strong change is necessary for Vietnamese football to move forward sustainably.
