Vietnam Football Hot News Today 28/4: U17 Vietnam Early Training Ahead of AFC U17 Championship; SLNA Faces Funding Shortage

Vietnam Football Hot News Today 28/4: U17 Vietnam Early Training Ahead of AFC U17 Championship; SLNA Faces Funding Shortage.

U17 Vietnam Early Training Ahead of AFC U17 Championship

The U17 Vietnam national team resumed training yesterday afternoon, just one day after returning from Indonesia, preparing for the AFC U17 Championship 2026.

Head coach Cristiano Roland instructed the players on the preparation plan for AFC U17 Championship 2026. With limited preparation time, the U17 Vietnam players were urged to focus intensely, putting aside the joy of the Southeast Asian championship to advance to continental and global levels.

The meeting lasted about 3 minutes, followed by the U17 Vietnam team conducting light ball drills to maintain their feel. Forward Le Trong Dai Nhan showed signs of overload and thus ran separately with the doctor.

U17 Vietnam will train from now until April 30, with no holiday breaks. The team will depart for Saudi Arabia on the night of April 30, early morning May 1, to participate in AFC U17 Championship 2026.

AFC U17 Championship 2026 runs from May 5 to May 22. The tournament features 16 teams divided into 4 groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals, equivalent to qualifying for the U17 World Cup 2026. U17 Vietnam competes in Group C against Yemen, South Korea, and UAE.

SLNA Club Faces Funding Shortage

SLNA Club risks failing to meet eligibility for V-League 2026/26 due to inability to fulfill financial requirements as stipulated by the tournament organizers.

April 30 is the final deadline for clubs to complete documentation for V-League 2026/2027 participation licensing.

According to regulations, each club participating in V-League must ensure a minimum financial resource of 45 billion VND to operate and fully engage in the season.

Main sponsor Tan Long will cease partnership after the 2025/2026 season. With the previous financial source gone and no replacement yet, the club finds itself in a precarious situation.

In a document sent to the Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Song Lam Nghe An Sports Joint Stock Company requested the Department to promptly provide support directions, so the club can meet financial criteria and qualify for the tournament.

The Vietnam Football Federation and VPF Company stipulate that a club wishing to participate in V-League must fulfill five mandatory criteria: sports, facilities, organizational personnel, legal, and financial.

Hai Phong Club Seeks Replacement for Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem

Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem publicly announced his intention to leave Hai Phong Club after the 2025/26 season ends, and the club has begun searching for a new head coach.

Currently, Hai Phong Club is still in the process of searching and selecting suitable candidates for the head coach position.

Hai Phong Club considers two options: an experienced domestic coach or a foreign coach with high professional qualifications.

This season concludes in early June, and Chairman Van Tran Hoan along with Hai Phong Club are striving to promptly find a suitable coach for the team, aligning with preparation plans for the 2026/27 season.