How do V-League clubs take their Tet Lunar New Year break in 2026?

Apart from CAHN club needing to compete during Tet, other V-League clubs have planned only brief breaks.

Although the spring atmosphere is approaching, for most V-League teams, the concept of a “Tet holiday” this year feels quite luxurious. After continuous matches domestically and internationally, many clubs have to keep training until the very moment of New Year's Eve before their players can temporarily leave the base. Some teams even treat the break as just a short pause before entering an intense acceleration phase.

Regarding the teams that disband the latest, Hanoi Police is definitely a special case. The police sector’s representative must prepare for the AFC Champions League Two round of 16 second leg match on February 18, which is the second day of Tet, at Tampines Rovers’ stadium. Having to play abroad during the New Year means both coaches and players hardly experience the full reunion atmosphere, with all schedules adjusted according to the match calendar.

Setting aside CAHN with its international duties, Ninh Binh is the last to rest domestically. Only by the afternoon of the 29th day of Tet do players like Dang Van Lam and Nguyen Hoang Duc officially leave the training ground. However, their rest period is also short. After two consecutive losses that caused the team to lose the top spot and be overtaken by CAHN, the whole squad understands that every day of preparation ahead is crucial for the race.

In the capital, Hanoi FC also waits until after their friendly match against Bac Ninh on February 13 afternoon to officially end training routines. Although the team held an internal year-end party earlier, players still trained fully to maintain fitness. The coaching staff wants the team to stay highly focused because a congested match schedule will follow shortly after Tet.

Other clubs like SHB Da Nang, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, Song Lam Nghe An, Ho Chi Minh City Police, Becamex Binh Duong, and Viettel Army face similar situations. Some postponed weekend matches, some didn’t have to travel far, but all agreed to minimize rest time, generally about four days. This is because the season is entering a decisive phase, while the pause for the SEA Games and the U23 Asian Championship finals ended not long ago.

According to the general plan, most teams will resume training on the 3rd or 4th day of Tet. Less than a week after that are the quarterfinal matches of the National Cup and rescheduled V-League games, including matches on February 24 — the 8th day of Tet. For CAHN, the challenge is even tougher because they must play internationally first, then immediately return to domestic competition. Therefore, many players quickly visit their families briefly, like Nguyen Dinh Bac hurrying home before regrouping, ready for the busy journey ahead.

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