VPF and Bamboo Airways representatives at the sponsorship signing ceremony on Tuesday in Hà Nội. — Photo courtesy of organisers

HÀ NỘI — The National Cup has been named Bamboo Airways National Cup 2020 after a sponsoring deal was signed on February 4 in Hà Nội.

The Việt Nam Professional Football Company (VPF) and Bamboo Airways signed a one-year deal, the second year in a row after their successful cooperation in 2019.

The tournament features 26 teams from V.League 1 and V.League 2 and starts on March 4, several weeks delayed compared to the original schedule because of the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

They will compete in the knock-out format till the final match. The winner will receive VNĐ1 billion (US$43,000) and earn a place at the Asian Football Confederation Cup next year. The first and second runners-up will take VNĐ500 million ($21,500) and VNĐ200 million ($8,600), respectively.

All matches will be broadcast live on different media platforms including the VTVcab channels and the VPF official youtube channel.

At the ceremony, Bamboo Airways also announced that they will co-work with the VPF as the official transporter of all clubs competing at the national leagues this year with a budget of around VNĐ10 billion ($430,000).

Bamboo Airways General Director Đặng Tất Thắng hoped with the support of the company the National Cup would become a prestigious tournament and be well known like the FA Cup in England.

In last year's final, Hà Nội FC came from behind to beat Quảng Nam 2-1 to lift the trophy. — VNS