Opening of the 2025 National Third Division Football Championship
On the afternoon of October 26, the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 National Third Division Football Championship took place at Hoai Duc Stadium (Hanoi), officially kicking off the race for the new season.
27/10/2025 09:21:47
Attending the ceremony, on behalf of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Organizing Committee were Mr. Trần Văn Quỳnh – Member of the VFF Executive Committee; Mr. Nguyễn Minh Châu – VFF Deputy General Secretary, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee; and Mr. Hoàng Anh Tuấn – Member of the VFF Referees Committee.
Representing the local authorities were Mr. Trần Văn Nghĩa – Standing Deputy Secretary of the Hoai Duc Commune Party Committee; Mr. Nguyễn Huy Hoàng – Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the Hoai Duc Commune People’s Committee; and Mrs. Lê Thị Điểm – Member of the Standing Committee, Chairwoman of the Hoai Duc Commune Fatherland Front Committee.
The ceremony also welcomed representatives of the clubs competing in Group A, match supervisors, referees, and a large number of enthusiastic local supporters.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyễn Minh Châu – VFF Deputy General Secretary and Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee – emphasized: “The National Third Division Football Championship is a meaningful playground for clubs, youth training centers, and amateur teams nationwide. It also serves as a stepping stone toward the 2026 National Second Division. The VFF believes that with the spirit of solidarity, honesty, and sportsmanship, all teams will give their best efforts and bring fans exciting, passionate matches rich in local identity.”
Deputy General Secretary Nguyễn Minh Châu also expressed his gratitude to the host units, professional staff, and football supporters who have accompanied and supported the organization of the tournament.
This year’s Third Division season gathers 17 participating teams, including: An Giang, Đồng Nai, Đồng Tháp, Hanoi Bulls, Hoai Duc, Luxury Ha Long, Phu Dong FC, STP FOOD Ho Chi Minh City, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City Youth, Hanoi Police Youth, Dak Lak Youth, Thong Nhat – TPG Youth, Dao Ha Football Center, Ha Tinh Sports Training and Competition Center, Khanh Hoa Sports Training Center, Dong Nai University of Technology, and Truong Giang – Gia Dinh.
The teams are divided into three groups:
- Group A (hosted by Hoai Duc Football Joint Stock Company) includes: Hanoi Bulls, Hoai Duc, Luxury Ha Long, Phu Dong FC, Dao Ha Football Center, and Hanoi Police Youth.
- Group B (hosted by Dak Lak Sports Training and Competition Center) includes: Dak Lak Youth, Thong Nhat – TPG Youth, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City Youth, Khanh Hoa Sports Training Center, and Ha Tinh Sports Training and Competition Center.
- Group C (hosted by KENOS JSC and Hoc Mon Cultural and Sports Services Supply Center, Ho Chi Minh City) includes: An Giang, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Dong Nai University of Technology, STP FOOD Ho Chi Minh City, and Truong Giang – Gia Dinh.
The tournament follows a two-leg round-robin format within each group to determine rankings based on points. The three group winners and the best second-placed team will earn promotion to the 2026 National Second Division.
When evaluating the best second-placed team, the Organizing Committee will exclude results against the bottom-placed team in groups with more teams, to ensure fairness in the number of matches played.
Right after the opening ceremony, the match between Hoai Duc Youth and Dao Ha Football Center took place. With the advantage of playing at home and strong support from local fans, Hoai Duc Youth claimed a 2-1 victory.
Earlier, in the first match held at 2:00 p.m., Hanoi Bulls and Luxury Ha Long played out a 0-0 draw.
The opening round of matches in Groups B and C will take place on the afternoon of October 27 in Dak Lak and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively.
