Just after returning, V-League pauses again due to Lunar New Year holidays.

After a nearly 80-day hiatus, the 2025/26 V-League managed only two rounds before another break for the Tet holiday, leading to additional interruptions in the competition's flow.

After an extended pause of almost 80 days, the 2025/26 V-League has just managed to resume amid fans' anticipation, it faced a familiar reality: the league's momentum was quickly broken again. The last two rounds brought hopes of reigniting the football atmosphere, but just as interest began to rise, the league was set to enter a new “freeze” period due to the lengthy Lunar New Year break.

Round 12 was a notable highlight marking V-League’s return after more than two and a half months of interruption. The top-table clash between Hanoi Police and Ninh Binh attracted significant attention, partially rekindling fans’ excitement. Following that, round 13, the final round of the first leg with six matches scheduled for this weekend, drew even more focus amid the emerging race at the top of the table.

However, just as the V-League regained its pace, the schedule was disrupted once more. After round 13 concludes on February 9, the teams will enter a prolonged Lunar New Year break period. Moreover, several postponed matches from the first leg such as Thanh Hoa vs. Hanoi Police, The Cong Viettel vs. Nam Dinh (round 10), and Da Nang vs. Hanoi Police (round 13) must wait until after Tet to be played, making the fixture list even more fragmented.

Previously, the V-League underwent a nearly 3-month break from November 10, 2025, to January 31, 2026, to accommodate the national U22 team’s participation in the 2025 SEA Games and the U23 team’s involvement in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. Although both youth teams achieved success, the extended hiatus nearly brought the domestic league to a halt, significantly impacting the season’s overall rhythm.

This situation has sparked much debate. Many argue that causing thousands of players, coaches, and staff to pause for 80 days just to support a group of about 20 young players is not entirely reasonable. Such a long interruption not only affects players’ form but also causes fans to lose the habit of following the league, while clubs struggle to maintain consistent performance levels.

The 2025/26 V-League is thus considered one of the most disrupted and prolonged seasons in history. Besides the 80-day break and Lunar New Year holiday, the schedule is also interrupted by national team call-ups for the Asian Cup qualifiers. In this context, clubs like Hanoi Police and Nam Dinh face the greatest pressure as they compete simultaneously in the V-League, the Southeast Asian Champions League, and the Asian Confederation Cup. With the league’s momentum repeatedly halted, questions about the continuity and attractiveness of the V-League remain pressing issues that require serious consideration.