Something that hasn't happened in the V.League promotion race for 13 years.

Bắc Ninh has the chance to break the 13-year curse for First Division teams when facing PVF-CAND in the playoff for a spot in the 2026/27 V.League.

The playoff for the final berth in the 2026/27 V.League between Bắc Ninh and PVF-CAND is not simply a clash between two clubs, but also a challenge against a "curse" that has persisted for over a decade. On June 12 at Hà Tĩnh Stadium, the First Division representative will enter a historic match with the ambition of becoming the first team to break the dominance of V.League clubs in this special competition.

Bắc Ninh enters the playoff as the runner-up of the National First Division 2025/26 season. This is the first time the team from Kinh Bắc region has a chance to earn promotion to Vietnam's top flight. After an impressive season, Bắc Ninh is just 90 minutes away from the V.League dream, or more if the match goes to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.

However, history is against the First Division side. In the 13 playoffs ever held, V.League representatives have won 9 times, while First Division teams have only triumphed 4 times. More notably, the last time a First Division team overcame a V.League opponent was in 2014, when An Giang defeated Cần Thơ 3-0. Since then, every attempt to topple a V.League side has failed.

Therefore, Bắc Ninh now has the chance to create a special milestone for Vietnamese football. If they beat PVF-CAND, this team will not only make its V.League debut but also end the 13-year streak of First Division clubs being powerless in the decisive promotion match. That would be a historic achievement for this relatively young club.

On the other side, PVF-CAND also enters the match under great pressure. The team that finished 13th in the 2025/26 V.League has a more experienced squad, but carries unpleasant memories from previous playoffs. On two occasions when they had the chance to reach the V.League as the First Division representative, PVF-CAND failed, losing to Thanh Hóa in 2019 and to Hà Tĩnh in the 2023/24 season.

History, ambition, and pressure all converge in this match, considered the "final of the season." For Bắc Ninh, it's an opportunity to break the 13-year curse. For PVF-CAND, it's a mission to protect their place in the V.League. When the opening whistle blows, only one team will have the right to continue their dream, while the other will have to wait at least one more season.