V.League 1

V.League
Country Vietnam
Confederation AFC
Founded 1980
Number of teams 14
Level on pyramid 1
Relegation to V.League 2
Domestic cup(s) Vietnamese National Cup
International cup(s) AFC Champions League
AFC Cup
Current champions Becamex Bình Dương
(2014)
Most championships Thể Công (5 titles)
TV partners VTV, VTC, HTV, Hanoi TV
Website http://www.vnleague.com
2015 V.League 1

The V.League 1 (Vietnamese: Giải bóng đá Vô địch Quốc gia), officially named for sponsorship reasons Toyota V.League 1, is the top professional football league in Vietnam controlled by VPF, Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company. It is contested by 14 clubs who play each other on a home and away basis. The team finishing top at the end of the season are crowned champions and enter the AFC Champions League.

The league was founded in 1980 as the Vietnamese National A1 Football Cup with Tổng Cục Đường Sắt emerged as the first winner. Thể Công is the most successful team in the league history, they won the tittle 5 times. The league turned professional in 2000-2001 season which allowed clubs to hire foreign players. VPF (Vietnam Professional Football) was established in 2012 and the organizing power was transferred from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to the VPF.

History

Foundation and early days

The V-League, as it is known today, dates back to 1980 when the first semi-professional league was launched (then known as the Vietnamese National A1 Football Cup). Seventeen clubs participated in the competition which was split into three groups and conducted more like a cup competition, with the winner from each group qualifying for the Championship Stage. Công An Hà Nội, Tổng Cục Đường Sắt and Hải Quan were the three teams to qualify, with Tổng Cục Đường Sắt ultimately taking out the title.That format, although the teams were split into two groups, continued until 1995 when the league reverted to a more traditional league format.

Turning professional

League football in Vietnam would turn professional in the 2000-2001 season, which saw the league change its name to its current moniker, V-League. In that inaugural V-League season there were only 10 clubs, with tighter restrictions meaning lesser teams. Over the next decade the league grew from 10 teams to the current 14, with the team that finishes on top of the table qualifying for the AFC Champions League. Clubs were allowed to hire foreign players from this season on.

VPF establishment

Following a season marred by accusations of refereeing corruption and a cover-up by the V.League governing body Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), 6 clubs (Đồng Tâm Long An, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, Hanoi ACB, Vissai Ninh Bình, Khatoco Khánh Hòa and Lam Sơn Thanh Hóa[1]) threatened to leave the league and form an entirely new league for the 2012 season. The most out spoken club in the move was Hanoi ACB, who were going through relegation from the V.League, with its chairman Nguyen Duc Kien announcing that ACB would spearhead the move. Due to the controversy, league sponsor EximBank expressed its intention to drop its title sponsorship of the league. League officials scrambled to resolve the issues, going as far as hiring foreign referees for the 2012 season.[2][3] After a meeting on September 29, representatives of the VFF and the 14 V.League 1 teams and 14 V.League 2 teams announced the formation of a new corporation, the VPF, Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company to manage the V-League. The VFF would hold a 36% stake in the new corporation, and the rest would be held by clubs.[1]

From 2012 season, the organizing power was transferred from the VFF to the VPF (Vietnamese Professional Football), and the V.League was initially changed to the Super League, although this name is short-lived and the league was renamed back to V.League later in the season. The first division was renamed the V.League 2. At the same time, many clubs found themselves in financial and sponsor issues, and many clubs withdrew, merge, bought another or failed to meet requirements for leagues. As a result, the number of clubs in each league changed dramatically.

Competition format

Sponsorship

Since the 2000–2001 season, the V.League has been branded with a principal sponsor's name and logo. The following companies have acted as principal sponsors:[7]

Official logo

Controversies

2013 controversy

After Xuân Thành Sài Gòn was docked points for what the VFF deemed the club unsportsman like conduct when the club fielded a noncompetitive squad for the their Matchdat 20 meeting with Sông Lam Nghệ An, club officials announced that the club would withdraw from the league. On August 22, 2013, the VFF approved Xuân Thành Sài Gòn's withdrawal request. Matches where the club was involved were vacated. The VFF is still debating if the last place club will still be relegated to V.League 2, though the league charter states that the club in 12th place would be the only club relegated in the 2013 campaign.[8]

Relegation was canceled for the 2013 campaign after Xuân Thành Sài Gòn withdrew from the V.League 1 before the conclusion of the season.[9] QNK Quảng Nam, Than Quảng Ninh and Hùng Vương An Giang, as winners, first runners-up and second runners-up respectively, were promoted from the 2013 V.League 2 season. Kienlongbank Kiên Giang failed to apply for the 2014 campaign and subsequently folded during the offseason.[10]

2014 Match-fixing scandal

Vissai Ninh Bình F.C. wrote to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and to the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company to be allowed to stop their participation in the league and also the AFC Cup due to 13 players being involved in match fixing. They had played 8 league matches and were third from bottom at the time.[11] Following their withdrawal from the league, all their results were declared null and void.[12]

Rule Changes, due to the match fixing scandal and withdrawal of Vissai Ninh Bình F.C., it was decided that the bottom-placed team at the end of the season will take part in a play-off match against the third-placed team in the First Division for the right to play in the V-League next season.[13]

Clubs

Clubs competed in 2015 season:

Club Based Home stadium Capacity First season
in V.League
Manager
Becamex Bình Dương Thủ Dầu Một Gò Đậu Stadium 18,250 2004 Vietnam Lê Thụy Hải
Đồng Nai Biên Hòa Đồng Nai Stadium 25,000 2013 Vietnam Trần Bình Sự
Đồng Tâm Long An Tân An Long An Stadium 19,975 2003 Vietnam Ngô Quang Sang
Đồng Tháp Đồng Tháp Cao Lãnh Stadium 23,000 2005 Vietnam Phạm Công Lộc
Hà Nội T&T Hà Nội Hàng Đẫy Stadium 22,000 2008 Vietnam Phan Thanh Hùng
Hải Phòng Hải Phòng Lạch Tray Stadium 28,000 2000 Vietnam Trương Việt Hoàng
Hoàng Anh Gia Lai Pleiku Pleiku Stadium 12,000 2003 France Guillaume Graechen
QNK Quảng Nam Tam Kỳ Tam Kỳ Stadium 15,624 2014 Vietnam Hoàng Văn Phúc
Sanna Khánh Hòa Nha Trang 19/8 Nha Trang Stadium 25,000 2015 Vietnam Võ Đình Tân
SHB Đà Nẵng Đà Nẵng Chi Lăng Stadium 28,000 2001 Vietnam Lê Huỳnh Đức
Sông Lam Nghệ An Vinh Vinh Stadium 12,000 2000 Vietnam Ngô Quang Trường
Than Quảng Ninh Cẩm Phả Cẩm Phả Stadium 15,000 2014 Vietnam Đinh Cao Nghĩa
Thanh Hóa Thanh Hóa Thanh Hóa Stadium 14,000 2010 Vietnam Vũ Quang Bảo
XSKT Cần Thơ Cần Thơ Cần Thơ Stadium 50,000 2015 Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Sỹ
Bình Dương
HAGL
Thanh Hóa
Đà Nẵng
Ninh Bình
Quảng Nam
Locations of Clubs for the 2014 V.League 1 season

Stadiums

Primary venues used in the 2015 V.League 1:

Becamex Bình Dương Đồng Nai Đồng Tâm Long An Đồng Tháp Hà Nội T&T
Gò Đậu Stadium Đồng Nai Stadium Long An Stadium Cao Lãnh Stadium Hàng Đẫy Stadium
Capacity: 18,250 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 19,975 Capacity: 23,000 Capacity: 22,500
Hải Phòng Hoàng Anh Gia Lai QNK Quảng Nam Sanna Khánh Hòa SHB Đà Nẵng
Lạch Tray Stadium Pleiku Stadium Tam Kỳ Stadium 19/8 Nha Trang Stadium Chi Lăng Stadium
Capacity: 28,000 Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 15,624 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 30,000
Sông Lam Nghệ An Than Quảng Ninh Thanh Hóa XSKT Cần Thơ
Vinh Stadium Cẩm Phả Stadium Thanh Hóa Stadium Cần Thơ Stadium
Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 14,000 Capacity: 50,000

Attendance

V.League 1 average attendance stands at around 10,000 spectators per game for some recent seasons. As of June 2010, the average attendance of V-League 2010 is 10,208.[14]

Players

Rules on foreign players

Clubs are only allowed to register three foreign players per season.[15] In prior seasons, clubs were allowed to register two foreign players.

Starting from 2015 season, the number of foreign players allowed by clubs is reduced to 2 players plus 1 naturalized player.

Top scorers by season

Season[7] Name Club Goals
1980 Vietnam Lê Văn Đặng Công an Hà Nội 10
1981–82 Vietnam Võ Thành Sơn Sở Công Nghiệp TPHCM 15
1982–83 Vietnam Nguyễn Cao Cường CLB Quân Đội 22
1984 Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Dũng Công nghiệp Hà Nam Ninh 15
1985 Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Dũng Công nghiệp Hà Nam Ninh 15
1986 Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Dũng
Vietnam Nguyễn Minh Huy
Công nghiệp Hà Nam Ninh
Hải Quan
12
1987–88 Vietnam Lưu Tấn Liêm Hải Quan 15
1989 Vietnam Hà Vương Ngầu Nại Cảng Sài Gòn 10
1990 Vietnam Nguyễn Hồng Sơn CLB Quân Đội 10
1991 Vietnam Hà Vương Ngầu Nại Cảng Sài Gòn 10
1992 Vietnam Trần Minh Toàn Quảng Nam-Đà Nẵng 6
1993–94 Vietnam Nguyễn Công Long
Vietnam Bùi Sĩ Thành
Bình Định
Long An
12
1995 Vietnam Trần Minh Chiến Công an Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 14
1996 Vietnam Lê Huỳnh Đức Công an Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 25
1997 Vietnam Lê Huỳnh Đức Công an Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 16
1998 Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Dũng Nam Định 17
1999
Unofficial
Vietnam Vũ Minh Hiếu Công an Hà Nội 8
1999-2000 Vietnam Văn Sỹ Thủy Sông Lam Nghệ An 14
2000–01 Vietnam Đặng Đạo Khánh Hòa 11
2001–02 Vietnam Hồ Văn Lợi Cảng Sài Gòn 9
2003 Nigeria Emeka Achilefu Nam Định 11
2004 Nigeria Amaobi Uzowuru Nam Định 15
2005 Brazil Kesley Alves Bình Dương 21
2006 Brazil Elenildo de Jesus Thép Miền Nam Cảng Sài Gòn 18
2007 Brazil Jose Emidio de Almeida SHB Đà Nẵng 16
2008 Brazil Jose Emidio de Almeida SHB Đà Nẵng 23
2009 Argentina Gastón Merlo
Brazil Lazaro de Souza
SHB Đà Nẵng
Quân khu 4
15
2010 Argentina Gastón Merlo SHB Đà Nẵng 19
2011 Argentina Gastón Merlo SHB Đà Nẵng 22
2012 Nigeria Timothy Anjembe Hà Nội F.C. 17
2013 Argentina Gonzalo Damian Marronkle
Vietnam Hoàng Vũ Samson
Hà Nội T&T 14
2014 Vietnam Hoàng Vũ Samson Hà Nội T&T 23
2015

Statistics

Previous winners by season

The following is a historical list of champions and runners-up of the V.League 1 by season. Superscripts in brackets (such as (2)) indicate a repeat win.

Season[7] Champion Runner-up Third Place
1980 Tổng Cục Đường Sắt Công An Hà Nội Hải Quan
1981–82 Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội Quân Khu Thủ đô Công An Hà Nội
1982–83 Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội (2) Hải Quan Cảng Hải Phòng
1984 Công An Hà Nội Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội Sở Công Nghiệp
1985 Công Nghiệp Hà Nam Ninh Sở Công Nghiệp Cảng Sài Gòn
1986 Cảng Sài Gòn Hải Quan Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội
1987–88 Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội (3) Công Nhân Quảng Nam Đà Nẵng An Giang
1989 Đồng Tháp Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội Công An Hà Nội
1990 Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội (4) Công Nhân Quảng Nam Đà Nẵng Hải Quan
1991 Hải Quan Công Nhân Quảng Nam Đà Nẵng Cảng Sài Gòn
1992 Công Nhân Quảng Nam Đà Nẵng Công An Hải Phòng Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội
1993-94 Cảng Sài Gòn (2) Công An Thành Phố Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội
1995 Công An Thành Phố Thừa Thiên Huế Cảng Sài Gòn
1996 Đồng Tháp (2) Công An Thành Phố Sông Lam Nghệ An
1997 Cảng Sài Gòn (3) Sông Lam Nghệ An Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội
1998 Câu Lạc Bộ Quân Đội (5) Công An Hà Nội FC Sông Lam Nghệ An
1999-2000 Sông Lam Nghệ An Công An Thành Phố Công An Hà Nội FC
2000–01 Sông Lam Nghệ An (2) ĐPM Nam Định FC Thể Công
2001–02 Cảng Sài Gòn (4) Công An Thành Phố Sông Lam Nghệ An
2003 Hoàng Anh Gia Lai Gạch Đồng Tâm Long An ĐPM Nam Định FC
2004 Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (2) ĐPM Nam Định FC Gạch Đồng Tâm Long An
2005 Gạch Đồng Tâm Long An SHB Đà Nẵng FC Becamex Bình Dương FC
2006 Gạch Đồng Tâm Long An (2) Becamex Bình Dương FC Boss Bình Định F.C.
2007 Becamex Bình Dương FC Gach Đồng Tâm Long An Hoàng Anh Gia Lai
2008 Becamex Bình Dương FC (2) Gạch Đồng Tâm Long An Xi Măng Hải Phòng FC
2009 SHB Đà Nẵng FC (2) Becamex Bình Dương FC Sông Lam Nghệ An
2010 Hà Nội T&T Hải Phòng F.C. Đồng Tháp F.C.
2011 Sông Lam Nghệ An (3) Hà Nội T&T SHB Đà Nẵng
2012 SHB Đà Nẵng (3) Hà Nội T&T Sài Gòn Xuân Thành
2013 Hà Nội T&T (2) Hoàng Anh Gia Lai SHB Đà Nẵng
2014 Becamex Bình Dương (3) Hà Nội T&T Thanh Hóa
2015

Top-performing clubs

No. of championships[7] Clubs
5 Thể Công-Viettel F.C
4 Cảng Sài Gòn
3 Becamex Bình Dương FC, Sông Lam Nghệ An, SHB Đà Nẵng FC[nb 2]
2 Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, Gạch Đồng Tâm Long An, Đồng Tháp, Hà Nội T&T
1 Hải Quan, Công Nghiệp Hà Nam Ninh, Công An Hà Nội, Tổng Cục Đường Sắt, Công An Thành Phố

See also

References

Notes
  1. In response to recent allegations of corruption in the Vietnam Football Federation, Eximbank were reportedly "considering canceling their sponsorship" of the V-League, effective the 2012 season. "6 clubs want to leave V-League, set up own league". tuoitrenews.vn. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  2. "Won title as Công Nhân Quảng Nam Đà Nẵng in 1992". danangfc.vn.
References
  1. 1.0 1.1 "Historic change: Company to run Vietnam football".
  2. "6 clubs want to leave V-League, set up own league". Tuổi Trẻ. September 10, 2011.
  3. "3 football referees suspended for dishonesty". Tuổi Trẻ. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  4. "V-League 2010 Regulations (Vietnamese)" (PDF).
  5. "No-relegation V-League a crazy idea: insiders". Tuổi Trẻ News. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  6. "V-League to be fully frofit driven in two years; increase to 14 teams by 2012". aseanfootball.org. ASEAN Football Federation. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 http://www.vnleague.com/vdqg-vleague/lich-thi-dau/
  8. "Saigon Xuan Thanh withdraws from V-League". Vietnam Net. August 23, 2013.
  9. "Saigon Xuan Thanh withdraws from V-League". VietnamNet.vn. August 23, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  10. "V-League 2014 kick off slated for mid-January". VietnamNet.vn. November 26, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  11. "AFC to Monitor Vietnam Match-Fixing Issue". aseanfootball.org. April 12, 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  12. "Ninh Binh Quit V-League but Not AFC Cup". aseanfootball.org. April 18, 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  13. "Organisers adjust V-League after Ninh Binh withdrawal". english.vietnamnet.vn. April 17, 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  14. "Số liệu chuyên môn trước vòng 15 giải VĐQG PetroVietnam Gas 2010".
  15. "VFF promotes local league talent". Vietnam Net. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2012-12-06.

External links