2026 National Volleyball Championship: Heated Debate Over Foreign Player Regulations

The Vietnam Volleyball Federation is collecting opinions from teams regarding the 2026 National Championship format, focusing especially on regulations for foreign player transfers and participation.

On November 5th, General Secretary Le Tri Truong announced that the Vietnam Volleyball Federation is gathering input from teams about the 2026 National Championship setup, particularly concerning foreign player transfer and usage policies.

According to Mr. Truong, the Federation aims to organize the tournament in a way that both enhances the professional level and ensures fair competition among teams.

In a document sent to clubs on November 4th, the Vietnam Volleyball Federation presented five options for teams to choose from: allowing one foreign player to register and play; two foreign players registered but only one allowed on court (current rule); two registered and two playing; three registered with two playing; or other proposals.

Teams have received the document and are carefully reviewing it before providing official responses. Many coaches believe that allowing foreign players back into the national league since 2022 has increased the league's appeal and overall skill level.

However, expanding the number of foreign players requires careful consideration to avoid reducing playing opportunities for domestic athletes and to prevent large financial disparities among teams.

In practice, foreign players consistently attract large audiences. At the 2025 Hung Vuong Cup, teams like The Cong Tan Cang, VTV Binh Dien Long An, and Ho Chi Minh City Police fielded two foreign players simultaneously, making matches more exciting and significantly improving the quality. Nevertheless, experts warn that overreliance on foreign players could slow the development of young talent and negatively impact clubs’ long-term training strategies.

Currently, the Vietnam Volleyball Federation has not made a final decision and will compile feedback from teams before announcing the official regulations. The 2026 National Championship is expected to feature 16 clubs, including familiar names such as VTV Binh Dien Long An, Bank of Industry and Trade, Thong Tin - Dong Bac, Duc Giang Chemical Lao Cai, The Cong Tan Cang, Bien Phong MB, Ho Chi Minh City Police, Sanest Khanh Hoa, and others.