V-League 2026/27: Fierce Relegation Race with Two Direct Relegation Spots

With the new format of V-League 2026/27, the number of directly relegated teams has increased to 2 and there is no play-off match, the relegation race is predicted to be more fierce than ever. Right now, many teams have been pointed out by experts as heavy candidates for the ticket to the First Division next season. SLNA, despite having a new sponsor, still could not keep important key players. The team from Vinh City said goodbye to Michael Olaha, Carlos Fortes, Ngo Van Luong and Vuong Van Huy. Coach Van Sy Son assessed: "The pressure on us is huge when the squad is young and financial resources are limited. Some foreign players also need time to adapt to the V-League. Therefore, the whole team must prepare carefully, help new players quickly integrate and try to save points in each match". SLNA starts the season by hosting newcomer Bac Ninh in round 1 of V-League 2026/27, on September 6 at Vinh Stadium. The opponent of the Nghe An team is also one of the teams at risk of relegation this season. After winning the promotion ticket, the team from Kinh Bac region said goodbye to Huynh Tuan Linh, Truong Van Thiet and Ha Duc Chinh, recruited Pierre Lamothe, Luong Hoang Nam, Le Tien Anh, overseas Vietnamese midfielder Minh-Kai, Le Van Xuan, Vu Tien Long, goalkeeper Nguyen Van Cong... In addition, Bac Ninh also invested heavily in foreign players with three Brazilian players, notably midfielder Vitao and striker Brenner Marlos. However, Bac Ninh's squad is not outstanding, besides lacking experience and bravery when playing in the V-League for the first time. If they do not accumulate necessary points, Hai Huy and his teammates are predicted to face difficulties in the relegation race. Another newcomer, Dong Nai, also faces a difficult season. In their first time participating in the V-League, although the team from the Southeast region has made strong investments in the squad, they still have to rely heavily on the form of Cong Phuong or the coaching talent of Coach Nguyen Viet Thang. The dependence on a single star could be a fatal weakness if Cong Phuong gets injured or loses form. Besides the above teams, Thanh Hoa and HAGL must focus on each round, especially the competition for relegation spots with main rivals. Despite many years in the V-League, difficulties in squad and finance... still put Thanh Hoa and HAGL at risk of relegation next season if they cannot maintain stability. Both teams had a noisy transfer season but have not really solved the squad depth problem. Experts believe that with only 2 direct relegation spots, weaker teams will have to fight fiercely from the first rounds. Direct matches between relegation candidates will be "six-pointers", directly deciding the fate of each team. SLNA, Bac Ninh, Dong Nai, Thanh Hoa and HAGL are all in the high-risk group, and this race promises to last until the final rounds.