Opening ceremony of the 2026 National Women’s Football League – Thai Son Bac Cup
On the afternoon of 20 June, at Thai Nguyen Stadium, the opening ceremony of the 2026 National Women’s Football League – Thai Son Bac Cup was officially held. This year’s season marks an important milestone for Vietnamese women’s football, as it is the first time the tournament is organized in a home-and-away league format, signalling a significant step forward in professionalism and competition structure.
The opening ceremony was attended by Ms. Lê Thị Hoàng Yến – Vice Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration; Mr. Trần Anh Tú – Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF); Mr. Nguyễn Văn Phú – General Secretary of VFF and Head of the Tournament Organising Committee; Ms. Hà Thị Bích Hồng – Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thái Nguyên Province; Mr. Phạm Hải Anh – Member of the VFF Women’s Football Committee; and Mr. Hoàng Văn Phúc – Head Coach of the Vietnam women’s national football team.
Also present at the ceremony was Mr. Trần Anh Minh – General Director of Thái Sơn Bắc Electrical Equipment Trading Co., Ltd., along with representatives from relevant agencies, organisations, and participating clubs.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Phú emphasized that the 2026 season holds special significance as it is the first time the league is being held in a home-and-away format. This new structure allows clubs to play on their home grounds, strengthening their connection with local communities and fans.
In addition, the VFF is piloting the women’s club licensing system, aiming to gradually improve governance and operational standards in line with professional and modern criteria. This initiative is expected to enhance the overall quality of the competition and create a better development environment for players.
On behalf of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Mr. Nguyễn Văn Phú expressed sincere gratitude to the main sponsor Thái Sơn Bắc for accompanying Vietnamese women’s football for 15 consecutive seasons. He also extended thanks to partners, host localities, FIFA, the media, and fans for their continued support, which has contributed significantly to the development of women’s football in Vietnam.
The 2026 National Women’s Football Championship – Thai Son Bac Cup features the participation of seven teams: Hanoi I, Hanoi II, Thai Nguyen T&T, Than KSVN, Phong Phu Ha Nam, Ho Chi Minh City I and Ho Chi Minh City II.
The teams will compete in a double round-robin format under a home-and-away system from 20 June to 23 October 2026 to accumulate points and determine the final standings.
The champion will be awarded the trophy, gold medals, and a prize of VND 500 million, and will earn the right to represent Vietnam in the AFC Women’s Club Championship for the 2027/28 season.
On the opening day, three matches of Round 1 took place: Thai Nguyen T&T vs Phong Phu Ha Nam, Ho Chi Minh City I vs Ho Chi Minh City II, and Hanoi I vs Hanoi II.
In the 2026 season, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) will coordinate with VTVCab to broadcast 16 matches live across the VTVCab ecosystem and VFF’s digital platforms, while the remaining 26 matches will be streamed live on the VFF Channel YouTube platform.
