Club Licensing Committee meeting to prepare licensing for clubs participating in the national league and AFC club competitions 2026/27
On the afternoon of April 17, 2026, at the headquarters of the Vietnam Football Federation, the first Club Licensing Committee meeting of 2026 was held to review and evaluate the licensing process for clubs participating in the national professional football league system and Asian Football Confederation club competitions for the 2026/27 season.
The meeting was attended by Trần Anh Tú, Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation, and Nguyễn Văn Phú, VFF General Secretary. Representing the Club Licensing Committee were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Ngọc Viễn, Head of the VFF’s First Instant Body, along with members Nguyễn Duy Quảng and Dương Nghiệp Khôi. The Appeal Body included lawyer Lê Đăng Tùng as Head, Nguyễn Hải Hường as Deputy Head, and Nguyễn Trường Minh as member. From the Club Licensing Administration Department, there were Nguyễn Thanh Hà, VFF Deputy General Secretary and Head of the Administration, along with Nguyễn Minh Ngọc, CEO of Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company and Deputy Head of the Department, together with other members in attendance.
At the meeting, the VFF’s First Instant Body presented an overview of the licensing process for clubs participating in the national league system and Asian Football Confederation club competitions for the 2026/27 season, in line with the established licensing timeline.
Participants discussed and reviewed the implementation of licensing criteria by clubs, including sporting, infrastructure, financial, legal, and administrative personnel requirements.
The VFF’s First Instant Body placed special emphasis on compliance with mandatory criteria (Category A) that clubs must meet, including: having a head coach holding a Pro License; ensuring facilities meet required standards; having no overdue payables to employees, tax authorities, or social insurance; and fully participating in national youth competitions.
The Committee stressed that clubs failing to comply with the regulations and criteria set out in the licensing regulations of the Vietnam Football Federation and the Asian Football Confederation will not be recommended for licensing. First Division clubs that do not engage in the licensing process will not be eligible for promotion, even if they meet sporting performance requirements.
As part of the agenda, the meeting also reviewed reports on inspections and assessments of the youth development programs of five clubs: Hải Phòng FC, Bắc Ninh FC, Ninh Bình FC, Đông Á Thanh Hóa FC, and Trường Tươi Đồng Nai FC.
In addition, the First Instant Body received a report on the plan to implement a pilot licensing system for women’s football clubs. According to the plan, the Vietnam Football Federation will carry out two pilot licensing phases before officially applying the system by the end of 2027. This is an important preparatory step to meet the requirements of the Asian Football Confederation, aiming toward licensing clubs participating in the 2028 National Women’s Championship and AFC women’s club competitions for the 2028/29 season.
According to the schedule, on May 8, 2026, the First Instant Body will decide on licensing for clubs participating in the 2026/27 national league, and on May 13, 2026, it will issue decisions on licensing for clubs participating in AFC club competitions for the 2026/27 season.
