The Cong Viettel announced on the evening of October 31 that head coach Velizar Popov had left the club.

"Coach Velizar Popov has stepped down as head coach of The Cong Viettel. We sincerely thank him for his contributions to the club and wish him and his family good health and happiness," the club said in a statement.

The decision followed a 3-1 away defeat to Thep Xanh Nam Dinh in the sixth round of the 2026/27 LPBank V-League, a result that proved to be the final straw and prompted the military-backed club to terminate Popov's contract ahead of schedule.

Despite significant investment in the squad this season, The Cong Viettel have struggled to meet expectations. Under Popov, the team failed to register a single victory in their last eight matches across all competitions, recording only draws and defeats.

Seeking to revive their fortunes and return to the V-League title race, the club and the Bulgarian coach quickly reached a mutual agreement to part ways. The Cong Viettel have yet to announce his replacement.

"There is only one thing I want to say: I am proud of my players and the spirit of the entire team," Popov said before leaving his position.

Popov thus becomes the first head coach to lose his job in the 2026/27 V-League season.

The Bulgarian took charge of The Cong Viettel on April 27, 2025. During his tenure, the club finished runners-up in the 2025/26 V-League and secured two bronze medals in the National Cup.

Dai Nam