Lam Dong Football club Eyes First Division Return After 14-Year Absence
After seven years of waiting, Lam Dong football has advanced beyond the qualifying stage and reached the National Second Division Finals, where the team will compete for promotion and seek to realize its long-held dream of returning to Vietnam's First Division after a 14-year absence.
An impressive journey
The 2026 National Second Division season kicked off with 14 teams competing for three promotion spots to Vietnam’s First Division.
Amid fierce competition, Lam Dong was not considered one of the leading contenders. However, through meticulous preparation and unwavering determination, the highland side has emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers.
From the outset, the coaching staff set a clear objective of reaching the finals. To strengthen the squad, Lam Dong recruited six players from Viettel, four from Khanh Hoa and three from the former Binh Thuan team, now part of Lam Dong Province.
The additions, largely made up of young talents, have helped build a squad with most players aged between 22 and 25, combining youthful energy with a strong desire to prove themselves.
Guided by head coach Tran Van Toan, Lam Dong has impressed with its disciplined, cohesive and hard-working approach. The team remained among the Group B frontrunners throughout the qualifying stage, underlining its consistency and resilience.
A tally of 25 points from 12 matches - including seven wins, four draws and only one loss - secured top spot in the group and a place in the finals alongside Truong Giang Gia Dinh. The result highlights the rapid development of a youthful squad determined to make its mark.
“We targeted a place in the finals from the start of the season and worked relentlessly toward that objective match by match,” Toan said.
A place in the finals represents more than just a successful season. It marks the culmination of a seven-year effort to rebuild the club, develop young talent and navigate difficult periods. The achievement signals Lam Dong's return to the ranks of Vietnam's competitive professional football teams and brings the club a step closer to its long-awaited promotion dream.
On the verge of a historic return
The 2026 National Second Division Finals, scheduled for June 13-16 at Quy Nhon Stadium (Gia Lai), will feature four teams battling for three promotion spots: Tre Ha Noi, Hue, Lam Dong and Truong Giang Gia Dinh.
Under the tournament format, the two semi-finals on June 13 will see Tre Ha Noi face Truong Giang Gia Dinh, while Lam Dong takes on Hue. The winners will automatically secure promotion to the 2027 First Division. The losing teams will then meet on June 16 to contest the final remaining promotion spot.
With three promotion places available, the opportunity remains wide open for all four finalists, including Lam Dong. Just one or two more successful performances could see the highland club achieve its long-awaited goal of returning to the First Division after a 14-year absence.
Lam Dong's next challenge is a showdown with Hue, a club with a rich footballing tradition that was relegated from the First Division last season.
It promises to be the biggest challenge Lam Dong has faced this season. Yet, buoyed by strong form, growing confidence and a resilient team spirit, the highland club enters the match believing it can take another step toward its long-awaited return.
For supporters who have waited 14 years to see Lam Dong back in the First Division, the dream is now closer than ever.
Le Tri Dung, Acting Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center, said reaching the finals is a highly encouraging achievement for Lam Dong football. However, he stressed that the team's work is far from over, with players and coaching staff fully focused on the decisive matches ahead.
We know we must give everything we have on the pitch, build on our unity and fight for the best possible result to repay the trust and support that fans across Lam Dong have shown the team throughout this journey
Le Tri Dung, Acting Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Provincial Sports Training and Competition Center
Seven years after their last appearance in the finals and with promotion within reach following a 14-year wait, Lam Dong football now stands on the threshold of a new chapter.
The road ahead remains challenging, but the team's performances this season have shown that a return to the First Division is well within reach.
More importantly, Lam Dong's players are determined to fight until the final whistle to turn the aspirations of their supporters into reality and reaffirm the province's place on Vietnam's football map.