CAHN helps V-League nearly surpass Malaysia’s league in the Asian rankings

Hanoi Police’s important win at ACL2 has reduced the difference with Malaysia to 0.914 points, opening a significant opportunity to surpass them on the Asian leaderboard.

The significant victory of Hanoi Police Club at ACL2 not only holds sporting importance, but also provides a major boost for V-League in the East Asian 2026 coefficient rankings for Asian domestic leagues (updated on 12/2). The margin between Vietnamese and Malaysian football is now less than one point — a narrow enough gap to inspire hope for a comeback in the decisive phase.

Hanoi Police’s win over Tampines Rovers earned 2 points for the V-League. Since Vietnam has two representatives in the continental competition, these points are halved according to regulations, increasing the league’s average coefficient by 1.000 points. As a result, the V-League’s total score rose to 39.020, maintaining 7th place in East Asia and temporarily securing a 1+1 allocation spot for ACL2 in the 2027/28 season.

Meanwhile, Malaysia experienced a disappointing week. Johor Darul Ta’zim lost in ACLElite, and Selangor was eliminated early, leaving Malaysian football without any new points. Their total coefficient remains at 39.934. The lack of points this week allowed Vietnam to further close the gap by exactly 1.000 points.

Currently, the difference between the two football systems is only 0.914 points — a slim margin that could be erased at any moment. If Johor continues to be eliminated from ACLElite and Hanoi Police advance to the ACL2 quarterfinals, the V-League could completely overtake Malaysia in the rankings. In that case, Malaysia’s representative will likely lose their spot in the 2027/28 AFC Champions League.

Not only does this put pressure on Malaysia, but Hanoi Police’s win against Tampines also widens the gap with Singapore in the coefficient race. The Southeast Asian regional competition is more intense than ever, and with the current momentum, the V-League stands a great chance to make a historic breakthrough on the continental football map.