Anticipating return of national 7-a-side football championship in Khanh Hoa

The Saigon Beer Dragon Cup national 7-a-side football championship 2025 is going to return to Khanh Hoa Province with the south central region qualifying round after many years. With the active preparation of the participating teams, the tournament promises to be a real festival for 7-a-side football community in Khanh Hoa.

Representatives of VPL organizing committee and football teams participating in the south central region qualifying round in Khanh Hoa

The national 7-a-side football championship (VPL) was organized in Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa within the framework of the central region qualifying tournament (under the name KPL) from 2019 to 2021. In those years' tournaments, many Khanh Hoa clubs such as Thanh Thanh FC, C-Casa, Van Tin FC, and Olympic Gym left their marks in the national 7-a-side football map. Notably, in their debut in 2029, Thanh Thanh FC stood out and surprised domestic -a-side football community with second place after overcoming strong teams from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. However, due to some reasons, since 2022, VPL hasn’t been organized in Khanh Hoa, causing 7-a-side football movement in the province falling into a lull.

According to Tran Huy Duc, member of the executive committee of Vietnam Football Federation and deputy general director of Vietfootball Joint Stock Company, this year, the tournament officially kicked off on May 18 in 8 regions nationwide including: northern region (Hanoi); southern region (Ho Chi Minh City); central highland region (Gia Lai); western region (Can Tho); northeast region (Hai Phong); north central region (Nghe An); central region (Da Nang) and south central region (Khanh Hoa). It is expected that there will be a total of 60 teams playing 248 matches, an increase of nearly 100 matches compared to the 2024 season. This proves the development and professionalization over time of the tournament’s system, affirming the position of the largest 7-a-side football tournament ever. With the resumption of VPL in Khanh Hoa this year and the active preparation of football teams in the province, the organizing committee hopes that 7-a-side football movement in Khanh Hoa will revive again.

Taking place at Nha Trang University's football field from June 15 to 29, the qualifying round of the south central region of Saigon Beer Dragon Cup national 7-a-side football championship 2025 includes 6 teams: QM Event, TK Gaming, Gia Gia, Friendly, Gia Bao, Minh Quan. The teams will compete for a place in the final round of the tournament (VPL) scheduled to take place in Hanoi in July.

Most of the players of Khanh Hoa participating in the south central region qualifying round this year are new faces to the province’s 7-a-side football community. However, the participating of senior players namely Nguyen Viet Binh, Do Ngoc Tu, Nguyen Van Tau, Nguyen Thanh Hung (TK Gaming); Mai Thanh Dat, Tran Van Thanh, Pi Nang Thai An, Tran Duc Linh (QM Event); Diep Tu Huy, Vinh Quy, Truong Chau Anh (Friendly) still promise exciting competitions.

According to the schedule, the qualifying round of the south central region kicks off at the football field of Nha Trang University at 4pm on June 15. The opening match of the tournament between QM Event and TK Gaming takes place at 2pm. Two matches between Gia Gia and Friendly, Gia Bao and Minh Quan take place after the opening ceremony. The qualifying matches in Khanh Hoa take place on Saturdays and Sundays and end on June 29.

AN NHIEN
Translated by H.N