2026-2027 Vietnamese National Cup: Four V.League Clubs Eliminated as Financial Problems Surface

2026-2027 Vietnamese National Cup: Four V.League Clubs Eliminated as Financial Problems Surface

In the 90+4th minute at Quy Nhon Stadium, a penalty pulled Hoang Anh Gia Lai back to 2-3 against Hung Yen. The referee immediately ended the match. The players from the mountain city walked off the pitch, leaving behind an unusually quiet space. At the same time, in Thanh Hoa, Becamex TP.HCM left the field with a convincing 2-0 victory. Eight matches in the 2026-2027 National Cup qualifying round produced four losses for V.League clubs, with three of those defeats coming at home. Only Bac Ninh, the V.League representative in that group, won, beating Long An 3-2 away. I do not call this a shock. I call it a mirror reflecting the financial health of Vietnamese football.

Before the round, it was not difficult to see the priority order of many clubs. For teams without championship ambitions, the National Cup is often placed behind the V.League relegation fight. Going deeper in the tournament increases travel, accommodation and squad costs, while points in this competition do not help them avoid relegation. Therefore, first-division teams with enough determination can easily cause surprises. That is especially true when the bigger clubs also carry off-field burdens.

Thanh Hoa is the clearest example. Before facing Becamex TP.HCM, the club faced a FIFA request to pay more than 305,000 USD, roughly 8 billion VND, to Rimario Gordon. The Jamaican striker had filed a complaint to FIFA. If the case is not resolved within 45 days from receiving the document on September 16, the club will be banned from registering new players for three transfer windows. The debt originated under the old sponsor, while Thanh Hoa has now been handed over to a new sponsor.

That financial problem explains why Thanh Hoa entered the match without being able to give everything. Their squad was thin, and limited resources prevented them from keeping key players. They only knew they would still exist just before the 2026-2027 V.League season started. Against a Becamex TP.HCM side recently relegated but not weakened, Thanh Hoa quickly lost control. Two goals conceded to a more determined opponent were an inevitable outcome. For clubs like Thanh Hoa, surviving in the V.League matters far more than a cup ticket.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai are in a similar situation. Two consecutive losses at the start of the 2026-2027 V.League show this team is weaker than last season. They had to leave Pleiku because the pitch was being renovated after poor drainage in heavy rain. Quy Nhon Stadium lacked the familiar support of the Pleiku stands. When they met a Hung Yen side full of winning desire, the mountain city team quickly collapsed. By the 77th minute, the score was 1-3. The 2-3 penalty in the 90+4th minute was only a consolation goal. An early cup exit may even help coach Le Quang Trai focus resources on the relegation race.

Hai Phong lost 0-1 to Thep Can Tho at home. Thep Can Tho had just moved from Quang Ninh to Can Tho and had lost their opening match in the 2026-2027 first division. A few days after joining, striker Thaileon scored the only goal in the first half. That shows how one determined individual can make a difference when the opponent treats the match as a formality. Hai Phong had more possession but not enough ideas.

Hong Linh Ha Tinh did not lose in 90 minutes, but fell 2-3 to hosts Phu Tho on penalties. The 0-0 draw showed they had no intention of pushing forward. Dragging the match to a shootout against a first-division side was a way to save energy, but risk always exists. When the result is not a priority, penalties become a lottery, and they paid the price.

Bac Ninh were the notable exception. At Long An, Bac Ninh won 3-2. A club that needs the National Cup to build confidence and give playing time to squad players will always have greater motivation. This shows that circumstance, not status, decides the result.

Based on my experience following these matches over many seasons, I understand that National Cup qualifying rounds always have games like this. What matters is how bigger clubs choose between competition and survival. The media often calls it squad rotation or prioritizing survival. But if we look closely at wages, debts and receivables, the truth lies deeper: many clubs simply lack the resources to compete on two fronts at high intensity.

The Rimario Gordon story goes beyond a debt. Every contract is a destiny waiting to be written. When a player feels his rights are violated, he will go to FIFA. Clubs must understand they hold a person's livelihood, not a commodity. Otherwise, troubles like Thanh Hoa's will keep returning, in the cup and in the V.League.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai may not have had the Pleiku stands in this match, but thousands of hearts still followed through their screens. A season without spectators never stops the heartbeat of fans. When a club decides to sacrifice the cup, supporters have the right to be sad, but they also understand the club must survive first. For a team facing relegation pressure, an early exit can be pain relief for a serious wound.

In the transfer world, I often hear rumors about clubs changing owners or receiving new investment. I do not trust rumors; I trust sources that have accompanied me for twenty years. When it comes to the National Cup, the most reliable source is cash flow.

The qualifying round of the 2026-2027 Vietnamese National Cup shows that clubs were beaten by financial problems, not by the opponent's tactics. Thanh Hoa, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Hai Phong and Hong Linh Ha Tinh may have planned this exit. But if a season only revolves around survival, Vietnamese football will remain stuck in that loop. It needs a club brave enough to treat the National Cup as a long-term strategy instead of a burden. This season will tell whether that can happen.