ĐÀ NẴNG — Đà Nẵng will host the qualifying round of the National Futsal Championships from March 17-31, deputy general director of the Voice of Việt Nam (VOV) Trần Minh Hùng said at a press conference in Đà Nẵng on Tuesday.

Hùng said it was the first time that VOV has worked with the Việt Nam Football Federation to host a national level football tournament.

Hùng said the preliminary round would take place at the city’s Military Zone 5 2,500-seat gymnasium.

Five teams – Sài Gòn FC, Hoàng Thư-Đà Nẵng, Hải Phương Phú Nhuận, Sanest Tourist Khánh Hòa and Kim Toàn Đà Nẵng – will compete in the preliminary two-leg round robin format with the four top teams entering the second stage of qualifying.

The second qualifying round will see the six top-ranked teams from the national championship last year (Thái Sơn Nam, Sana Khánh Hòa, Sanatech Khánh Hòa, Tân Hiệp Hưng, Cao Thắng and Thái Sơn Bắc), and the four qualifying teams contesting a two-leg round robin tournament at the Military Zone 7 Gymnasium in HCM City from April 8 to June 24.

Head of the event’s organising committee, Nguyễn Ca said the winning team will walk away with a cash prize of VNĐ200 million (US$8,800), while the runner-up will take VNĐ100 million ($4,400).

Two third-place teams will be awarded VNĐ60 million ($2,600) each.

The national champions and the runner-up will represent Việt Nam at the Asia Football Confederation Futsal Club Championship in 2018.

Futsal Cup

At the press conference, the organising committee also announced that Đà Nẵng would be the venue for the National Futsal HDBank Cup from November 26 to December 3.

Ten teams will compete in a knock-out event for the first prize of VNĐ100 million ($4,400), while the runner-up and third place will pocket VNĐ60 million ($2,600) and VNĐ30 million ($1,300), respectively.

Teams will compete at Đà Nẵng’s Tiên Sơn Sports Centre.

Futsal is a fast developing sport in Việt Nam with many amateur and professional teams established. — VNS