SLNA sends two teams to participate in the national youth tournament

Song Lam Nghe An will enter two squads, team 1 and team 2, in the 2026 National U15 Football Championship.

At the 2026 National U15 Football Championship, Song Lam Nghe An is one of the few organizations competing with two distinct squads. The first team, Song Lam Nghe An I, is placed in Group B, while the second team, Song Lam Nghe An II, competes in Group C. Having two teams participate demonstrates the depth of talent and the proactive approach of Nghe An’s youth training system, which has long been recognized as a key source of players for national selection teams.

This year’s tournament gathers 31 teams from professional clubs, semi-professional clubs, training centers, and specialized schools nationwide. Alongside SLNA’s two teams, well-known names such as PVF, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, The Cong Viettel, and Hanoi FC’s youth squads also compete. The large number of teams and the improving quality of training promise fierce competition right from the qualifying rounds.

The U15 Song Lam Nghe An I team, coached by Le Van Hung, is built around players born in 2011 who won the 2024 national U13 championship. This group has gained international experience through training trips to Japan and China, as well as participation in several friendly tournaments in the northern region. Thanks to continuous development, these players are regarded as having strong technical and tactical skills with relatively stable mental resilience compared to their peers.

Meanwhile, U15 Song Lam Nghe An II, led by coach Nguyen Van Vinh, features a younger squad. Many players born in 2012 who recently won silver medals at the 2025 national U13 championship have been promoted to gain experience. This bold decision to field younger players at a higher level reflects SLNA’s long-term investment strategy in their training center, embracing challenges to foster growth.

Regarding the format, the 31 teams are divided into 6 groups, playing a double round-robin at the host locations to accumulate points for ranking. The six group winners plus the five best runners-up will advance to the final round. If group sizes vary, the organizers will exclude results against the bottom-ranked team in larger groups to ensure fairness when comparing runner-up records.

According to the schedule, U15 Song Lam Nghe An I will open against PVF, while U15 Song Lam Nghe An II will face Hoang Anh Gia Lai on March 1st. The qualifying stage ends on March 24th, and both Nghe An youth teams are expected to depart immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday to prepare thoroughly for the upcoming journey. With a longstanding tradition in training, fans hope at least one SLNA team will reach the final stage.

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