2026-2027 National Cup: Four V-League Clubs Eliminated, Relegation Battle Becomes Clearer

Last weekend, the qualifying round of the 2026-2027 National Cup ended with a striking result: four of the five V-League clubs were eliminated by first-division sides. Three of those losses came at home or at a temporary home ground. Only Bac Ninh escaped the storm, beating Long An 3-2 away. The numbers are not simply a matter of winning or losing in a cup competition many teams treat lightly. They reflect the financial reality, squad depth, and priorities of Vietnamese football at the start of the season. Eight matches were played over the two weekend days. Not every match is mentioned here, but the ones involving V-League teams left their mark. Thanh Hoa hosted Becamex TP.HCM and lost 0-2. Hoang Anh Gia Lai played at Quy Nhon, their temporary home, and lost 2-3 to Hung Yen. Hai Phong played at their own Lach Tray stadium but lost 0-1 to Thep Can Tho. Hong Linh Ha Tinh traveled to Phu Tho, drew 0-0 in 90 minutes, then lost 2-3 on penalties. Bac Ninh were the only V-League representatives to advance, winning 3-2 at Long An. The context matters. The National Cup has never been the main priority for many V-League clubs, especially those without title ambitions. Advancing deep into the competition means extra travel costs, hotels, and a stretched squad. For clubs whose only goal is to stay up, the cup becomes a burden rather than an opportunity. That gives first-division teams a real chance to surprise when they show greater determination. The match in Thanh Hoa was the clearest example. Thanh Hoa welcomed Becamex TP.HCM, a club recently relegated and considered a strong candidate for promotion. In terms of squad quality, Becamex TP.HCM were not inferior. They showed more determination and control. The 0-2 result was not really an upset. For Thanh Hoa, the defeat revealed problems that go far beyond tactics. Thanh Hoa have been dealing with financial troubles for a long time. The club only knew for sure that they would exist just before the 2026-2027 V-League began. Their squad is limited because they lack funds to keep key players or sign new ones. Before the cup match, a new money worry appeared. FIFA ordered Thanh Hoa to pay more than 305,000 USD, roughly 8 billion VND, to Rimario Gordon after the Jamaican striker filed a complaint with FIFA. According to the document mentioned, if the case is not settled within 45 days from receiving the document on September 16, 2026, Thanh Hoa would be banned from registering new players for three transfer windows. This puts the club in a very difficult position. The debt reportedly appeared under the old sponsor, while Thanh Hoa have already moved to a new sponsor. The question of responsibility between old and new sponsors has become a direct burden on the club and threatens its ability to survive the season. At Quy Nhon, Hoang Anh Gia Lai could not work a miracle. The mountain-town club had to leave Pleiku because the pitch was being renovated to improve poor drainage during heavy rain. The lack of familiar home support was a huge mental loss. Hung Yen played with ambition and made life difficult for their opponents. It was not until the 77th minute that Hoang Anh Gia Lai fell 1-3 behind. A penalty in the 90+4 minute made it 2-3, but that only narrowed the score. Hoang Anh Gia Lai are facing a difficult season. After two consecutive losses at the start of the 2026-2027 V-League, they are already in a relegation fight. Their squad is weaker than last season, and Hung Yen exposed that. Coach Le Quang Trai and his players need to find stability quickly. In such circumstances, an early cup exit may actually help them focus fully on the V-League, where Hoang Anh Gia Lai almost always have to fight for survival. Hai Phong's defeat at home was also painful. The team from Hai Phong let Thep Can Tho, a club that had just moved from Quang Ninh to Can Tho, leave with a 1-0 victory. Thep Can Tho had lost their opening first-division match of 2026-2027, but they quickly showed signs of revival. New signing Thaileon, who joined just days before the match, scored the only goal in the first half. It was a strong statement about the club's recruitment sharpness. Hong Linh Ha Tinh traveled to Phu Tho hoping to advance. Yet they could not score in 90 minutes. After a 0-0 draw, penalties decided the match. Phu Tho were more composed and won 3-2. Ha Tinh had started the V-League season with one win and one loss, but their early cup exit was not entirely unexpected for a club that must reserve energy for the league. Anyone who has followed Vietnamese football for years knows the reality: early in the season, many V-League clubs treat the National Cup as an intense training session, a place to give reserve players minutes. Results do not matter much. By contrast, first-division clubs see the cup as a chance to test themselves against stronger teams, to confirm their status, and to build confidence among their supporters. That is why Becamex TP.HCM, Hung Yen, Thep Can Tho, and Phu Tho all played with noticeably higher energy. Cost is one of the biggest reasons. First-division clubs have tighter budgets, but in a cup match they are willing to give everything, because one win can create a huge media effect. V-League clubs must think about the long season. Going deep in the cup means more matches, more travel, more expenses, and more injury risk. For clubs fighting relegation, that is not an acceptable risk. Tactically, Thanh Hoa and Hoang Anh Gia Lai had similar problems. Both failed to stay focused at key moments. They conceded from situations that were not truly dangerous or lost rhythm after falling behind. The first-division teams were organised, disciplined, and full of fighting spirit. They did not shy away from tackles and knew how to finish matches once they gained an advantage. The Thanh Hoa story deserves special thought. A V-League club is not only competing against opponents on the pitch. It also has to cope with old debts, contractual disputes, and pressure from international governing bodies. The potential transfer ban is a major threat. If Thanh Hoa cannot pay Rimario Gordon on time, they will be unable to add players for three transfer windows. Relegation would become much harder because the squad cannot be improved in the middle of the season. For Rimario Gordon, the Jamaican striker chose to take the matter to FIFA to protect his rights. Such cases are not rare in Southeast Asian football when clubs struggle to pay wages, bonuses, or other contract-related amounts. The lesson here is that club financial transparency must be a priority, both to avoid FIFA sanctions and to build trust with players and fans. Bac Ninh were the rare bright spot for the V-League. Their 3-2 win at Long An secured progress and showed that a V-League club can take the cup seriously if it has a clear goal. It is only one win, however, and Bac Ninh still face many tests. Still, the result is a real morale boost before they return to V-League action. The qualifying round also showed that the gap between the V-League and the first division is no longer as large as people think. Many first-division clubs are better invested, have clearer strategies, and possess players whose quality is close to the V-League average. They even have an advantage in consistency because they do not have to deal with a congested fixture list. It must be stressed that first-division clubs do not see the cup as a burden. For them, every win against a V-League team brings great media value and mental strength. These victories help them in the promotion race and send a signal to sponsors that the club is moving in the right direction. That is why they field strong line-ups and show maximum commitment. For Hai Phong, losing to Thep Can Tho is a warning. Although they began the V-League season with one win and one loss, there is plenty to improve. Their cup display lacked the required readiness, especially against a motivated lower-league opponent. Without adjustments, Hai Phong may struggle in the middle of the season. Hong Linh Ha Tinh leaving the cup is not a disaster, but they need to learn from their failure to score against Phu Tho. In the V-League, teams fighting relegation must know how to earn points in tight matches. If the attack cannot make a difference, the season becomes hard. Penalties may be down to luck, but the chances created during 90 minutes are what shape the game. Overall, the 2026-2027 National Cup qualifying round is a mirror reflecting Vietnamese football at the start of the season. Bigger clubs can argue they are prioritising survival, but the truth is that many face serious problems with finances, squad strength, and depth. Meanwhile, first-division teams are improving every day and are ready to seize every opportunity. The Thanh Hoa story will keep drawing attention in the coming weeks. Whether they can pay the 305,000 USD to Rimario Gordon will directly affect their ability to do transfer business. If the ban is imposed, Thanh Hoa will struggle to patch their squad when injuries or poor form hit. This situation is not only about Thanh Hoa. It is a warning for the whole professional football system in Vietnam. Hoang Anh Gia Lai are entering a tense period. After two V-League losses, they now leave the cup as well. Yet the coaching staff and players can treat this as a chance to focus fully on the league. For a club with a thin squad, prioritising survival is logical, even if supporters are disappointed. At the moment, the first-division sides have sent a clear message: they are not there to make up the numbers. Becamex TP.HCM, Hung Yen, Thep Can Tho, and Phu Tho have all shown they have the quality and courage to beat teams from a higher division. That raises a tough question for V-League clubs: are they truly stronger, or are they living off old names and history? The season is still long. The National Cup is only one competition, but it can open or close important doors. For smaller clubs, a good cup run brings revenue, attention, and belief. For V-League clubs, an early exit can save resources, but it also exposes long-standing weaknesses in the way they operate. In more than two decades of following Vietnamese football, I rarely saw so many lower-division teams beat V-League clubs in a single round. It shows the progress of the first division, and an uncomfortable truth: many V-League clubs are standing on thin ice. They may still be in the top flight because of history, but if they do not change their approach, survival will become harder. The matches at the qualifying round may quickly be forgotten in a long season. But the cracks shown over the weekend raise an urgent issue for Vietnamese football: the financial, squad, and depth calculations of every club must be reconsidered. If not, surprises like these will not stop at the cup. They will appear in the relegation race itself. The biggest question now is not who will win the National Cup, but whether clubs like Thanh Hoa, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Hai Phong, or Hong Linh Ha Tinh have enough strength to endure a demanding season. The cup has only just begun, but it has already revealed a true picture of the gap in resources and motivation within Vietnamese football. For first-division clubs, today's victory is a stepping stone. For V-League clubs, today's defeat is a warning bell.