Vietnam - List of Champions

Football was introduced to Vietnam by the French in 1896, first in Saigon, spreading north from there. The first club founded was Cercle Sportif Saigonnais, which was organised on the lines of French clubs in 1906 (it presumably existed already for several years at the time). A number of other clubs (all dominated by the French colonists) were founded in Saigon in the next few years (Infanterie, Saigon Sport, Athletic Club, Stade Militaire, Tabert Club) and local competitions (of unclear status) were organised, presumably all restricted to Saigon and its immediate surroundings, with CS Saigonnais winning tournaments in 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1916 (they presumably were considered champions of Saigon in all the years mentioned but nothing is known about the organisation of the competitions involved). The first Vietnamese teams in Saigon were founded in 1907: Gia Dinh Sport, Phu Khai and Ngoi sao Sao Xanh ("Blue Star"). Soon after, these merged into Ngoi sao Gia Dinh (Gia Dinh Star), which defeated CS Saigonnais in 1917 and thus was considered the strongest club. Other clubs in Saigon in the first few decades of the twentieth century included: Victoria Sportive, Commerce Sport, Jean Compte, Sport Cholonaise, Khanh Hoi Sport, Tan Dinh Sport, Go Vap, Hiep Hoa, Cho Quan, Phu Nhuan, Dong Nai, Enfants de Troupe.
Also in other southern provinces clubs were founded: Thu Dau Mot, Can Tho, Soc Trang, Sa Déc, Go Cong, Chau Doc, My Tho.

North Vietnam was introduced to football around 1906 or 1907. In 1909, two matches are documented between Le Duong Dap Cau (Legion Dap Cau) and Olympique Hai Phong, Olympique winning the first 2-1 and losing the second 1-8. In February 1912, Hanoi FC (Stade Hanoien) was founded; this club comprised both French and Vietnamese players. Other teams founded in Hanoi during this period included Trung doan Bo binh Thuoc dia (Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale, RIC), Ngoi Sao Xanh (Etoile Bleue) and Le Duong Viet Tri. In the thirties, major clubs in Hanoi included: Chop Nhoang, Cau lac bo Bong da Ha Noi, Racing Club, Lac Long Ngon giao (La Lance), Hoa Xa (Usaga), Truong Buoi (later renamed Chu Van An), Dai hoc (Université Club), Ngan Hang and O-to Han (Auto Hall). In the second most important town in North Vietnam, Hai Phong, the major clubs in the period before World War II were Voi vang Dat cang, Olympique Hai Phong, Mui Ten (La Flèche), Radium (Trung Hoc) and Thanh nien Bac Ky (La Jeunesse Tonkinoise). In Nam Dinh the main club was Hong Bang, in Phu Ly it was Phu Ly The thao and in Lang Son it was Le Semeur.

Between 1920 and 1930 various local championships and tournaments were contested, including: Challenge Héraut, Coupe de la Ville de Cholon, Championnat de Cochinchine, Coupe des Leaders, Coupe de l'Ouest, Coupe de l'Est, Challenge Khoa Hoc Tap Chi, Coupe Nguyen Chiéu Thóng, Coupe Truong Van Ben, Coupe Louis Cong, Coupe du docteur Hoang Gia Hop.

The best clubs in Central Vietnam before World War II are considered to be ASNA (Vinh), Sept (Hue), Touranne and Faifo Cheminot (Nha Trang).

South Vietnamese football between 1954 and 1975 was dominated by AJS (Association de la Jeunesse Sportive), Canh sat (Police), Tong Tham Mu'u (Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces General Staff) and Quan Thue (Customs). Police Sport are cited as the last champions of "Indochine".

Colonial Era

Season  Champions Tonkin                  Champions Cochinchine
1917                                      Gia Dinh Sport 
1923                                      Etoile de Gia Dinh
1928                                      Union Sportive Cholonnaise 
1928/29                                   Etoile de Gia Dinh
1939/40 RIC
1940/41   not known
1941/42 RIC 
1942/43 Cotonkin Sports de  Nam Dinh

NB: RIC = CS du 9e Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale; formerly called Ancre Sportive;
    Gia Dinh Sport merged 1922 with Etoile Bleue into Etoile de Gia Dinh

Independence War Era

Season  Champions North Vietnam           Champions South Vietnam
1961/62                                   "Customs" (Saigon) [southern area]

1966                                      Hai Quan (Saigon) 
1967                                      Cong An (Saigon)

1974    The Cong (Ha Noi)

1977                                      Cang Sai Gon (TP Ho Chi Minh) 
1977/78 Cau Lac Bo Quan Doi (Ha Noi)      Cang Sai Gon (TP Ho Chi Minh) 
1978/79 Quan Khu Thu Do                   Cang Sai Gon (TP Ho Chi Minh) 

NB: Quan Thue (Airport Customs) and Quan Doi (Army) also won titles in South Vietnam;
    Cau Lac Bo Quan Doi (full name Cau Lac Bo The Duc Thao Quan Doi)
      won 10 North Vietnamese league titles (includes The Cong).

Unified Vietnam

Season  Champions                         Runners-Up
1980    Tong cuc Duong sat            2-1 Cong an (Ha Noi)
1981/82 Cau Lac Bo Quan doi (Ha Noi)      Quan khu Thu do
1982/83 Cau Lac Bo Quan doi (Ha Noi)  2-1 Hai quan (TP Ho Chi Minh)
1984    Cong An (Ha Noi)              2-1 Cau Lac Bo Quan doi (Hanoi)
1985    Cong nghiep (Ha Nam Ninh)     3-1 So Cong nghiep (TP Ho Chi Minh)
1986    Cang Sai Gon (TP Ho Chi Minh) 
1987    Cau Lac Bo Quan doi (Ha Noi)  1-0 Quang Nam (Da Nang) 
1988      no competition
1989    Dong Thap (Cao Lanh)          1-0 Cau Lac Bo Quan doi (Ha Noi)
1990    Cau Lac Bo Quan doi (Ha Noi)  4-0 Quang Nam (Da Nang) 
1991    Hai Quan (TP Ho Chi Minh)     2-0 Cong an (Hai Phong)
1992    Quang Nam (Da Nang)
1993/94 Cang Sai Gon (TP Ho Chi Minh) 2-0 Cong an (Than Po Ho Chi Minh)
1995    Cong an (TP Ho Chi Minh)      3-1 Thua Thien (Hue)
1996    Dong Thap (Cao Lanh)          3-1 Cong an (TP Ho Chi Minh)
1997    Cang Sai Gon (TP Ho Chi Minh) 
1998    The Cong (Ha Noi)                 Song Lam Nghe An (Vinh)   
1999      no competition
1999/00 Song Lam Nghe An (Vinh)           Cong an (TP Ho Chi Minh)     
2000/01 Song Lam Nghe An (Vinh)           Nam Dinh (Nam Dinh)                        
2001/02 Cang Saigon (TP Ho Chi Minh)      Song Lam Nghe An (Vinh)   
2003    Hoang Anh Gia Lai (Plei Ku)       Gach Dong Tam Long An (Tan An)
2004    Hoang Anh Gia Lai (Plei Ku)       Song Da Nam Dinh (Nam Dinh) 
2005    Gach Dong Tam Long An (Tan An)    Da Nang (Da Nang)
2006    Gach Dong Tam Long An (Tan An)    Binh Duong (Binh Duong) 
2007    Becamex Binh Duong (Binh Duong)   Dong Tam Long An (Tan An)
2008    Becamex Binh Duong (Binh Duong)   Dong Tam Long An (Tan An)
2009    Saigon Hanoi Bank.Da Nang         Becamex Binh Duong (Binh Duong) 
2010    Ha Noi T&T (Ha Noi)               Xi mang Hai Phong (Hai Phong) 
2011    Song Lam Nghe An (Vinh)           Ha Noi T&T (Ha Noi)               
2012    Saigon Hanoi Bank.Da Nang         Ha Noi T&T (Ha Noi)           
2013    Ha Noi T&T (Ha Noi)               Saigon Hanoi Bank.Da Nang
2014    Becamex Binh Duong (Binh Duong)   Ha Noi T&T (Ha Noi)           
2015    Becamex Binh Duong (Binh Duong)   Ha Noi T&T (Ha Noi)           
2016    Ha Noi T&T (Ha Noi)               Hai Phong (Hai Phong) 
2017    QNK.Quang Nam (Quang Nam)         FLC.Thanh Hoa (Thanh Hoa)
2018    Ha Noi (Ha Noi)                   FLC.Thanh Hoa (Thanh Hoa)
2019    Ha Noi (Ha Noi)                   TP Ho Chi Minh (TP Ho Chi Minh)
2020    Viettel (Ha Noi)                  Ha Noi (Ha Noi)
2021      abandoned
2022    Ha Noi (Ha Noi)                   Hai Phong (Hai Phong) 
2023    Cong an (Ha Noi)                  Ha Noi (Ha Noi)    
2024    Nam Dinh (Nam Dinh)               Binh Dinh (Quy Nhon)
2025 

Number of Wins (41)
 
 6 Ha Noi (Ha Noi) [formerly called Ha Noi T&T]
   Viettel (Ha Noi) [formerly called The Cong and Cau Lac Bo Quan doi = Army Sports Club]

 4 Becamex Binh Duong (Binh Duong)
   Cang Sai Gon (Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh) [= Saigon Port]
   
 3 Song Lam Nghe An (Vinh)   

 2 Cong an (Ha Noi) [= Police; temporarily called Hang khong Viet Nam (=Vietnam Airlines)] 
   Dong Thap (Cao Lanh)
   Gach Dong Tam Long An (Tan An)
   Hoang Anh Gia Lai (Plei Ku)     
   Saigon Hanoi Bank.Da Nang [formerly Da Nang and as such originated
                              out of split of Quang Nam (Da Nang)]
 
 1 Cong an (Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh) [= Police; later called Ngan hang Dong A] 
   Cong nghiep (Ha Nam Ninh) [= Department of Industry]
   Hai Quan (Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh) [= Customs]
   Nam Dinh (Nam Dinh)
   Quang Nam (Da Nang) [split into Da Nang and Quang Nam after 1995 season]
   QNK.Quang Nam (Quang Nam) [originated out of split of Quang Nam (Da Nang)]
   Tong cuc Duong sat  [= Railways SC; later called Duong Sat Viet Nam,
                          and now named LG-ACB and based in Ha Noi]
   Viettel (Ha Noi)

About this document

Sources for introduction included: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_in_Vietnam and http://www.voer.edu.vn/module/bong-da-tai-viet-nam

Prepared and maintained by Bao Quoc and Hans Schöggl for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Authors: Bao Quoc (bao128ht@yahoo.com) (data from 1980 on) and Hans Schöggl (early history)
Last updated: 11 Oct 2024