Vietnamese football league system

Last updated

The Vietnamese football league system contains two professional leagues and two semi-professional leagues for Vietnamese football clubs.

Contents

System by period

SeasonTier 1Tier 2Tier 3Tier 4
Before Vietnam unification North Vietnam Football Championship South Vietnam Football Championship
1975–1979 Hồng Hà League Trường Sơn League Cửu Long League
1980–1989 National A1 League A2 League
1990–1996 National Elite Football Championship A1 League A2 League
1997–2000 First Division Second Division Third Division
2000–2001 V-League
2001–2012 First Division Second Division Third Division
2012 National Super League
2013–present V.League 1 V.League 2

Current system

Level

League(s)/Division(s)

1

V.League 1 (professional)
14 clubs
↓ 1,5 relegation spots

2

V.League 2 (professional)
12–14 clubs
↑ 1,5 promotion spots
↓ 1 relegation spots

3

Vietnamese Second Division (semi-pro)
16 clubs divided into 2 groups
↑ 2-3 promotion spots
↓ 1 relegation spot

Group A
8 clubs
Group B
8 clubs

4

Vietnamese Third Division (semi-pro)
Up to 16 clubs divided into 2 groups
↑ 2-3 promotion spots

Group A
Up to 8 clubs
Group B
Up to 8 clubs

Cup eligibility

Domestic cups

All V.League 1 and V.League 2 sides qualify for the National Cup tournament.

Super Cup

The Super Cup is the first game of the season, played between the previous years' winners of the V.League 1 and National Cup. If the same team wins both competition, then the team finishing second in the previous years' V.League 1 take on the V.League 1 winners.

Continental competition

For the 2023–24 season, one Vietnamese side, the team finishing top of V.League 1, qualifies automatically for the AFC Champions League Two Group stage. The winner of the Vietnamese Cup qualify for the AFC Champions League Two qualifying play-offs.

See also