SLNA U19 team has been approved to participate in the 2026 National U19 Championship.
The Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has just issued a new document, agreeing to allow the U19 Song Lam Nghe An team to continue participating in the 2026 National U19 Championship as planned, after revoking the previous document regarding the lack of justification for sending a youth team to the tournament.
Previously, on November 27, 2025, the Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent a letter to Song Lam Nghe An Club stating that the Department did not have sufficient grounds to send SLNA youth teams to participate in training and competitions as per regulations. This information put the SLNA U19 team at risk of not being able to participate in the 2026 National U19 Championship.
However, after receiving feedback from the SLNA Youth Football Training Center, along with the wishes of the players and the concern of the fans, the Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reviewed the relevant contents and officially withdrew the old document. The replacement document affirmed that the SLNA U19 team is eligible to participate in the 2026 National U19 Championship.
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Notably, the funding for the team's participation in this year's tournament will be drawn from the remaining budget allocated for the 2025 competition. This allows the team to implement its training and competition plans without facing the financial obstacles initially feared.
The leaders of Song Lam Nghe An Club stated that the team highly appreciates the Department's spirit of listening and support. Immediately after receiving the new decision, the U19 SLNA team continued to maintain the training plan they had previously implemented, aiming for good results in this season.
The 2026 National U19 Championship is the opening tournament for the youth competition system organized by the Vietnam Football Federation. It is considered an important platform for young players to showcase their abilities and open up opportunities for development into professional football.
SLNA U19 is currently the most successful team in the history of the tournament, with 5 championships and 7 runner-up finishes. In the 2025 season, the team finished as runners-up after a dramatic final match against PVF U19.
SLNA U19's official participation in the 2026 National U19 Championship not only helps the youth team maintain its tradition but also creates opportunities for the current generation of players to continue competing, gaining experience, and developing in a healthy competitive environment.
