Football 

HÀ NỘI — The national premier league, LPBank V.League 1, is expected to see better management, after organisers decided to add one more VAR truck to help football officials in the 2025-2026 season.

The tournament will officially kick off on August 15, featuring 14 teams. A notable appearance will be made as PVF CAND FC replaces Quảng Nam FC, which was dismissed from the league just several days prior to opening day.

Teams will compete in a two-leg round robin format, with the last round scheduled for June 20 next year.

Three top clubs will receive a total bonus of VNĐ9.5 billion. Meanwhile, the two teams at the bottom will be relegated to V.League 2 next season.

On August 8, the Việt Nam Professional Football Company (VPF) and its partner, FPT Play, signed a sponsorship contract with Lộc Phát Bank (LPBank). This marks the second straight year that the companies join each other to run the nation's top football competition.

At the signing ceremony, V.League 1 organisers said they bought one more VAR truck, bringing the total to five, in a bid to apply VAR technology to all of the tournament matches and comprehensively improve the quality and success of the league.

"With a mission to become the bank for every family, LPBank is proud to accompany the top tournaments in Vietnamese sports, including V-League 1," said Bùi Thái Hà, vice chairman of LPBank's Board of Directors. 

"This is one of the most effective ways to spread our positive values and get closer to the people. LPBank has upheld its role as one of the strongest supporters of national football."

The 2025-2026 season marks the fourth consecutive year that FPT Play holds the broadcasting rights and will be producing and broadcasting all of the V.League 1 matches and sideline events. This year, the company plans to integrate Dolby sound technology with the tournament, bringing the vibrant, passionate atmosphere of each stadium to viewers at home.

“We are proud that every year, FPT Play brings new value, helping to improve the experience of football fans across the country," said Hoàng Việt Anh, chairman of the Board of Directors of FPT Telecom at FPT Corporation.

"The close cooperation and mutual development between VPF and LPBank is an important driving force for us to constantly innovate and create.”

All V.League 1 matches will be broadcast live and in full by FPT Play on a variety of platforms, including terrestrial, cable, satellite, IPTV, internet, mobile, public screenings and social networks. —VNS