Vietnam surpasses China, far ahead of Malaysia and Indonesia in the world rankings

The V-League has climbed to the 117th spot worldwide, and in Asia, it even ranks higher than China's national championship league.

The updated global ranking of national championships by Opta has brought notable changes. This ranking system is built based on the performance of clubs in international arenas, combined with the competitiveness and overall assessment of each region and federation. Consequently, the ranking not only reflects the internal strength of the league but also shows the influence of clubs when competing in regional and continental tournaments.

According to the latest update, V.League has moved up one spot to reach the 117th position worldwide. Specifically within Asia, Vietnam's top league ranks 14th, and in Southeast Asia, V.League holds the second position, only behind Thailand's Thai League. This is a positive step forward, reflecting improvements in professional quality and competitiveness of the league recently.

Notably, V.League has now surpassed the Chinese Super League (China) – which stands at 119th globally. Moreover, the gap between V.League and other regional leagues like Indonesia Super League (155th) and Malaysia Super League (173th) is quite significant. This indicates Vietnam football's position is increasingly strengthened in Southeast Asia.

This achievement largely stems from the stability of Vietnamese clubs in international competitions in recent years. Clubs have not only performed better but also demonstrated systematic investment and strong determination when participating in regional and continental tournaments. This is a crucial factor helping V.League improve its score in Opta's evaluation system.

In the 2025/26 season, Hanoi Police Club reached the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup C2, while Nam Dinh advanced to the semi-finals of the Southeast Asian Cup C1. In the previous season, CAHN reached the regional final and only lost to Buriram United after a penalty shootout. These results contribute to enhancing Vietnam football's status on the regional map.

Additionally, the parity among clubs is a major advantage for V.League. While China's league might be slightly stronger when considering the top five clubs, overall, the general level of V.League is rated higher. Meanwhile, in Asia, Japan's J1 League remains number one but faces fierce competition from Saudi Pro League. Globally, the English Premier League continues to lead, followed by top European leagues like La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1.

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