2026-2027 National Cup Qualifiers: Four V-League cracks beneath the dust

The 2026-2027 National Cup qualifying round produced one of the most disruptive weekends in Vietnamese football history. Four V-League clubs were eliminated by First Division sides, three of them suffering defeats on home soil. Only Bac Ninh survived, winning 3-2 away at Long An. Thanh Hoa lost 0-2 to Becamex TP.HCM at home. The club is under serious financial strain; FIFA has ordered it to pay more than USD 305,000 to striker Rimario Gordon within 45 days or face a transfer ban. Hoang Anh Gia Lai lost 2-3 to Hung Yen at their temporary home in Quy Nhon, with a late penalty at 90+4 not enough to save them. Hai Phong fell 0-1 to Steel Can Tho, whose new forward Thaileon scored the only goal shortly after joining. Hong Linh Ha Tinh were eliminated on penalties by Phu Tho after a 0-0 draw. Behind those results lies a structural problem: many V-League clubs view the National Cup as a burden rather than an opportunity. Relegation battles and tight budgets make cup runs costly and risky. Meanwhile, First Division clubs are hungrier and better organized than ever. This is not merely an upset; it is a sign of shifting layers in Vietnamese football. The cup may lose some glamour, but it offers lower-tier teams a genuine stage to prove themselves.