The Vietnamese Football League First Division (Vietnamese: Giải bóng đá hạng Nhất Quốc gia, lit.'National First Division Football League'), known simply as the V.League 2 and for sponsorship purposes as the Gold Star V.League 2, is the second-highest league of the Vietnamese football league system after the V.League 1, and is currently contested by 14 clubs. The current holders are Phu Dong Ninh Binh, who won the 2024–25 season.

League structure

Starting in the 2025–26 season, the league comprises 14 teams. Over the course of a season, which runs annually from September/October to the following June/July, each team plays twice against the others in the league, once at 'home' and once 'away', resulting in each team competing in 26 games in total. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the league table by points gained, then goal difference, then goals scored, and then their head-to-head record for that season (including away goals record).

At the end of the season, the top two team is promoted to the V.League 1 and the bottom two teams are relegated to Second Division.

Competition format

Seasons 2000 to 2019: teams played a double round-robin format to earn points. The champion team was promoted to V.League 1. The bottom 1 or 2 teams were relegated to the National Second Division. This format was used again in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the last seasons to be held in a calendar year.

In the 2020 season, after the first round of the round-robin, the top 6 teams played a single round-robin to find the champion, and the remaining 6 teams played a single round-robin to find the team to be relegated. The 2021 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From the 2023–24 season onwards, the teams will play a double round-robin format over two years, from the autumn of the previous year to the summer of the following year.

Television

On 1 November 2022, FPT Group-owned FPT Play will be the new domestic broadcaster for Vietnamese Professional Football Leagues competitions (V.League 1, V.League 2 and Vietnamese Cup) effectively from 2023 until 2027.

Prize money

The prize money for the 2023–24 V.League 2:

PositionPurse (VND)
Champion2,000,000,000
Runner-up1,000,000,000
Third-place500,000,000

Current members

The following 14 clubs compete in the V.League 2 during the 2025–26 season.

V.League 2 is located in Vietnam
Locations of the 2025–26 V.League 2 teams
ClubFinishing position last seasonLocationStadiumCapacity
Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu10thBà Rịa–Vũng TàuBà Rịa Stadium10,000
Bac Ninh FC2nd in Second Division Group A (promoted)Thừa Thiên HuếTu Do Stadium16,000
Bình Phước2ndBình PhướcBình Phước Stadium10,000
Đồng Nai9thĐồng NaiĐồng Nai Stadium30,000
Đồng Tháp FC6thĐồng ThápĐồng Tháp Stadium18,000
Gia Dinh FC2nd in Second Division Group B (promoted)Ho Chi MinhTBD
Hoa Binh FC7thHòa BìnhHoa Binh Stadium
LPBank Ho Chi Minh City4thHo chi MinhThống Nhất Stadium15,000
Khatoco Khánh Hòa5thKhánh Hòa19 August Stadium18,000
Long An FC8thTây NinhLong An Stadium20,000
PVF-CAND FC3rdHưng YênPVF Stadium
Quang Ninh FC1st in Second Division Group A (promoted)Quảng NinhCẩm Phả Stadium20,000
Quy Nhon Binh Dinh14th in V.League 1 (relegated)Gia LaiQuy Nhơn Stadium15,000
Van Hien University1st in Second Division Group B (promoted)Ho Chi Minh CityThống Nhất Stadium15,000

Results

SeasonChampionsRunner-upThird place
2000–01Bình ĐịnhĐà NẵngHải Quan
2001–02Gạch Đồng Tâm Long AnĐồng ThápHoàng Anh Gia Lai
2003Hải PhòngBình DươngThanh Hóa
2004Cảng Sài GònHòa Phát Hà NộiThừa Thiên Huế
2005Khatoco Khánh HòaTiền GiangĐông Á
2006Đồng ThápThanh HóaHuda Huế
2007Thể CôngVạn Hoa Hải PhòngAn Giang
2008Quân khu 4Hà Nội T&TCao su Đồng Tháp
2009Vissai Ninh BìnhHòa Phát Hà NộiXSKT Cần Thơ
2010Hà Nội ACBThan Quảng NinhSQC Bình Định
2011Sài Gòn Xuân ThànhKienlongbank Kiên GiangSQC Bình Định
2012Đồng Tâm Long AnHà NộiĐồng Nai
2013QNK Quảng NamThan Quảng NinhHùng Vương An Giang
2014TĐCS Đồng ThápSanna Khánh Hòa BVNXSKT Cần Thơ
2015Hà NộiHuếTP Hồ Chí Minh
2016TP Hồ Chí MinhViettelNam Định
2017Nam ĐịnhHuếBình Phước
2018ViettelHà Nội BĐồng Tháp
2019Hong Linh Ha TinhPho HienBinh Phuoc
2020Binh DinhBa Ria Vung TauSanna Khanh Hoa BVN
2021Competition abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam
2022Cong An Nhan DanKhanh HoaQuang Nam
2023Quang NamPVF-CANDLong An
2023–24SHB Da NangPVF-CANDTruong Tuoi Binh Phuoc
2024–25Phu Dong Ninh BinhTruong Tuoi Binh PhuocPVF-CAND

Top scorers

SeasonTop scorer(s)Club(s)Goals
2005Ghana Felix AboagyeKhatoco Khánh Hòa14
2006Vietnam Đặng Phương NamThể Công14
2007Vietnam Trịnh Quang VinhThể Công13
2008Brazil Flávio CruzHuda Huế18
2009Brazil Eduardo Henrique FurrierThan Quảng Ninh16
2010Vietnam Nguyễn Xuân ThànhHanoi ACB13
Brazil Jorge Luiz CruzBoss Bình Định
Cameroon Christian Nsi AmougouThan Quảng Ninh
Vietnam Nguyễn Thành TrungAn Giang
2011Cameroon Christian Nsi AmougouSài Gòn Xuân Thành17
2012Mali Souleymane DiabateXSKT Cần Thơ21
2013Nigeria Uche IheruomeHùng Vương An Giang10
Vietnam Đinh Thanh TrungQNK Quảng Nam
2014Vietnam Huỳnh Văn ThanhSanna Khánh Hòa BVN10
2015Vietnam Trịnh Duy LongHà Nội9
2016Vietnam Hồ Sỹ GiápBình Phước
Vietnam Nguyễn Tuấn AnhHồ Chí Minh City12
2017Vietnam Võ Văn MinhHuế5
Vietnam Phạm Văn ThuậnNam Định
Vietnam Nguyễn Hồng QuânĐắk Lắk
Vietnam Bùi Duy ThườngViettel
2018Vietnam Y Thăng ÊbanĐắk Lắk15
2019Vietnam Nguyễn Xuân NamPhố Hiến14
2020Vietnam Nguyễn Công ThànhĐồng Tháp12
2022Vietnam Nguyễn Thanh NhànPhố Hiến10
2023Vietnam Nguyễn Thanh NhànPVF-CAND10
Vietnam Lê Văn NamQuảng Nam
2023–24Vietnam Bùi Văn BìnhBà Rịa-Vũng Tàu11
2024–25Vietnam Lưu Tự NhânTrường Tươi Bình Phước9

External links