According to the new plan announced by Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), V.League 2025-2026 is expected to end on June 7, 2026, instead of extending to the end of June as usual. Shortening the playing time is considered a necessary adjustment in the context of a dense international schedule and long-term preparation requirements for the national team.
After the Binh Ngo Lunar New Year holiday, V.League clubs will enter the competition phase with a relatively high density, averaging one match per week to ensure the overall progress of the season. Throughout the second leg, the tournament only has a short break at the end of March to make way for the Vietnamese national team to gather according to the FIFA Days schedule.
This break is considered necessary for the national team coaching staff to review the force, assess player performance and prepare for international tasks in 2026. Minimizing interruptions also helps clubs maintain a stable pace of competition, avoiding prolonging the season.
According to experts, the decision to end the V.League early stemmed from many factors. Besides avoiding overlap with the 2026 World Cup Finals, this plan also aims to reduce the burden on national team players, helping them have more time to recover their fitness after a long season.
At ASEAN Cup 2026, the Vietnamese national team is in Group A with Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and the winning team in the play-off match between Timor-Leste or Brunei. The tournament is expected to start in July 2026. The V.League ending from the beginning of June helps the players have the necessary time to rest, focus on training and prepare tactics.
Not only V.League, other leagues in the Vietnamese professional football system are also being adjusted synchronously. The National First Division League 2025-2026 is expected to end on June 6, 2026, while the National Cup final will take place before June 15, 2026, thereby creating uniformity in the schedule and serving best the team's plan.
