Four V-League clubs fall in the National Cup: Apathy or survival mathematics?

Over the weekend, Vietnamese football witnessed one of the darkest days for its biggest clubs. Eight matches in the 2026-2027 National Cup qualifying round took place over two days, and within 180 minutes, four V-League representatives said goodbye against first-division teams. Not only that, three of the four losses happened at home. This no longer fits the notion of surprise – it looks like a deliberate surrender. I have followed Vietnamese football for over two decades, and rarely have I seen a group of teams leave the competition so quietly. From Lisbon, I learned that empires can collapse, but here they collapse not because of war, but because of exhaustion. To understand why, we need context. The National Cup has always been a prestigious but expensive playground. For clubs without big ambitions or with tight budgets, going deeper means more travel costs, hotels, bonuses, and especially a distraction from squad management. The 2026-2027 V-League has become more fierce with 14 teams fighting for two relegation spots. Every loss brings them closer to the edge. Moreover, first-division teams are no longer really lower-ranked. Clubs like Becamex TP.HCM have just been relegated but still keep a nearly V-League squad; Hung Yen and Phu Tho are heavily invested to gain promotion. They have determination and desire, while V-League teams rotate and rest key players. The gap in mentality and tactics created the shock, but actually there was nothing shocking about it. The National Cup qualifiers came just days after the international match window, forcing clubs to rotate. But if we look deeper, this is the result of Vietnamese clubs having to cope with a congested calendar and limited resources. There are no training centers, no deep squads, no reserve budgets. Whenever they must choose between a cup match that could create a reputation and three league points, they always choose the points. I have seen too many clubs sacrifice their brand for safety. As a result, the professional level declines, fans turn away, and sponsors withdraw. The National Cup is therefore not just devalued; it becomes a testing ground for reserve players and new formations. Speaking of Thanh Hoa, I see a team drowning in debt. Before the match, FIFA ordered the club to pay more than 305,000 USD – roughly 8 billion VND – to Jamaican striker Rimario Gordon after he filed a complaint to FIFA. If the case is not resolved within 45 days from the document dated September 16, the Thanh Hoa side will be banned from registering new players for three transfer windows. The twist: this debt comes from the old sponsor regime, but the current club has to bear it. At home, Thanh Hoa lost 0-2 to Becamex TP.HCM without creating a clear chance. They looked like a debtor trying to hide on the pitch. Silent heroes do not need goals to be remembered, but here, even Thanh Hoa's heroes were silent. HAGL is another sad story. The mountain-town team had to leave Pleiku Stadium because the pitch was being renovated after continuous heavy rain caused poor drainage. Moving to Quy Nhon, they lost the voice of their familiar stands and the emotional safety created by thousands of loyal fans. Coach Le Quang Trai's side had lost both opening V-League matches, and their squad was thinner and weaker than last season. Hung Yen, a club invested with promotion ambitions, only needed discipline and patience. They led 3-1 from the 77th minute, and HAGL's 2-3 goal from the penalty spot in the 90+4 minute was merely cosmetic. Leaving the cup early may be a relief for a team barely surviving in the league. Hai Phong was even more worrying as they lost 0-1 to Thep Can Tho at home. Thep Can Tho had just moved from Quang Ninh to the West, losing their first league game; they were hungry and had nothing to lose. In the first half, new striker Thaileon – who had joined the club only days earlier – scored the only goal. Hai Phong had more possession, but possession is the most deceptive statistic. Meaningless sideways passes and slow rhythms against a deep-defending team created the illusion of control. Football has its own rules: the humble hold the keys, while the loud hold the tickets. Thep Can Tho held the key; Hai Phong kept the ticket called survival in V-League. Hong Linh Ha Tinh's away match at Phu Tho perfectly reflected their bluntness. They drew 0-0 after 90 minutes, not because of great defending, but because they lacked sharpness to score. Three potential chances were handled slowly, and shots missed the target. In the shootout, luck spoke: 2-3 for Phu Tho. Ha Tinh left the competition without blame, because they never wanted to be there. The number 10 shirt is sometimes just a mask for emptiness – in Vietnamese football, the badge of National Cup honor is just as empty for these clubs. Even Bac Ninh, the only V-League team to win over the weekend, did not truly dominate. They beat Long An 3-2 away but were still distracted at times. Perhaps Bac Ninh is too young and has not learned how to play just to get by – the sin of a newly promoted team. In that context, Bac Ninh's rare win became a strange bright spot. No need to be flashy; just 10 minutes of absolute concentration to score three goals, then withstand pressure and manage the game. Maybe Bac Ninh has not learned to fear first-division teams, has not been eroded by bureaucratic culture. Or simply, they still dare to dream – a luxury for the big clubs. However, from the clubs' perspective, losing early could be a correct calculation. Going deep in the cup means spending; for Thanh Hoa, HAGL, Hai Phong and Ha Tinh, elimination helps them focus on the V-League. With tight finances, this is a survival strategy. People will criticize them for being unprofessional and disrespecting the tournament. But look at the first-division teams: they train as if every match is a final, because for them, beating a V-League side can change a whole season – boosting brand value, attracting sponsors, and building trust with fans. Meanwhile, for a V-League team, winning a cup match just says they are not allowed to lose, with no direct financial benefit. This is a structural disease: the league system gives clubs every reason to ignore the National Cup. I understand why they do it, but I cannot stop worrying about the consequences. If losses are planned, losing becomes a habit. Young players who watch their seniors give up will learn to do just enough to survive, not enough to win. Such a football culture will never create a generation that dares to face major challenges. As a result, the National Cup has become a mirror reflecting the instability of Vietnamese football: the rich are not rich enough to dream, and the poor are not poor enough to take risks. So, do not ask why V-League teams fail in the National Cup. Ask why a cup has become such a burden. When will Vietnamese clubs be rich enough to dream, strong enough to dare ambition? The 2026-2027 season is still long, and stories of Thep Can Tho, Hung Yen, and Becamex TP.HCM will be beautiful. But the story of big clubs abandoning the National Cup may be even more haunting. If they continue to live in a culture of accepting defeat for safety, the National Cup will fade from the hearts of fans, and the smiles of first-division teams will be only brief comfort.