Vietnam Football's Newcomer Banned from 2026/27 National Cup

The first division's newcomer for 2026/27, Thai Nguyen, is unable to take part in the National Cup in its inaugural season because of rules regarding club ownership by the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company.

The 2026/27 season of Vietnamese professional football witnesses the emergence of a completely new face as Thai Nguyen makes its first appearance in the National First Division. However, just before the season kicks off, the team from the tea regionhas to receive unwelcome news as it is not allowed to compete in the 2026/27 National Cup.

Thai Nguyen is actually the former Hanoi B team. Under the guidance of coach Pham Minh Duc, the club performed impressively in the 2026 Second Division to earn promotion to the 2026/27 First Division alongside Lam Dong and Hue. After the season ended, the club was renamed Thai Nguyen, with its home ground being Thai Nguyen Stadium. This is also the first time the tea region has a men's football club participating in Vietnam's professional football system.

Nevertheless, Thai Nguyen fans cannot yet witness their hometown club compete in the 2026/27 National Cup. The reason lies not in professional performance or results but stems from regulations on club ownership within the Vietnamese professional football system.

Currently, Thai Nguyen is still under the management of Hanoi - T&T Sports Joint Stock Company, the entity that also owns and operates Hanoi FC. According to the regulations of the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), two clubs sharing the same owner are not allowed to participate in the same tournament to ensure transparency and fairness in competition. Hanoi FC has already entered the 2026/27 National Cup, so Thai Nguyen is forced to withdraw from this competition.

In reality, changing the name and registering a new locality does not equate to transferring club ownership. According to current regulations, a club must play at least one season before completing the procedure to transfer to a new management unit. This means Thai Nguyen must wait for more time to officially separate from the T&T system.

Although unable to participate in the National Cup, coach Pham Minh Duc's team is still eligible to compete in the First Division, as Hanoi FC currently plays in the V-League, meaning the two clubs do not appear in the same tournament.

This is not the first case in Vietnamese football. Last season, PVF B - Cong An Nhan Dan was also not allowed to participate in the National Cup because it shared the same management unit with PVF - Cong An Nhan Dan. Later, that club was transferred to Hung Yen province, renamed Hung Yen, and became eligible to compete this season. Earlier, Hanoi B was also transferred to Ha Tinh province and renamed Hong Linh Ha Tinh to qualify for the V-League promotion playoff in 2018.

Thai Nguyen missing out on the 2026/27 National Cup certainly leaves many regrets for local fans. However, if the transfer process is completed in the coming time, the team from the tea region will likely be eligible to participate in all domestic competitions starting from the next season.