Football 

HÀ NỘI — The National Seven-a-Side Football Championship 2025 was launched on May 15 in Hà Nội, promising a tournament with a larger number of teams and bigger bonuses up for grabs for the successful teams.

According to the organising committee, the tournament, known as the Bia Saigon Dragon Cup (VPL-S6) will feature 60 teams, the largest ever number of participants, in its sixth season, marking a strong development of the footballing style that was created and developed by in Việt Nam.

Since its debut in 2022, the VPL has grown strongly, increasing its competition regions from three to five and eight this year. The number of spectators both in the stadiums and online has also risen, with more 200,000 fans watching in person and more than 45 million online views in 2024.

This year, the tournament will start on May 18 in all eight regions : North (Hà Nội), South (HCM City), Central Highlands (Gia Lai), West (Cần Thơ), Northeast (Hải Phòng), North Central (Nghệ An), Central (Đà Nẵng) and South Central (Khánh Hòa). The strongest teams of each region will compete in the final round, to be held in Hà Nội at the end of July.

Last year, Đại Từ FC defended their title after beating Thiên Khôi FC 4-2 in a penalty shoot out.

In addition to 248 official games, nearly a hundred more than last season, the organisers will hold a show match which brings together the best players of national seven-a-side playing against professional stars, current and former national players of the eleven-a side field. 

 "Our competition system with the core of VPL has been increasingly developing in both quantity and quality, becoming the pride of Vietnamese football," said Phạm Ngọc Tuấn, general director of VietFootball, organisers and head of the tournament's organising committee.

"Seven-a-side football is a popular playground, attracting a large number of players and spectators across the country. We hope to continue to receive support to bring seven-a-side football further domestically and internationally."

At the launch, VietFootball and its strategic partner SABECO, revealed that they will upgrade the Vietnamese seven-a-side football to higher level, with a third season of the international tournament being held in August, an attempt to spread this homegrown football style globally.

It is expected that Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia will send their teams to the tournament. — VNS