The Kien Giang-based Kien Long Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Kienlongbank) on Mach 23 signed an agreement with the Vietnam Professional Football Company (VPF), the manager of the national football championship (V-League), on providing sponsorship for the National Cup and the First Division in 2016-17.

This is the 3rd consecutive year Kienlongbank will be the main sponsor for the tournaments. The value of this year’s deal was not disclosed.

Accordingly, the First Division and the National Cup will be named the First Division - Kienlongbank 2016 and the National Cup - Kienlongbank 2016.

The first division sees the participation of ten teams: Ho Chi Minh City Club, Ca Mau, Hue FC, Nam Dinh, Dong Nai, Fico Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, Phu Yen, Viettel and Dak Lak. The tournament will take place from April 9 to August 20.

The winners will be awarded VND1 billion in cash and the promotion berth to play in the V-League next year, while the runners-up will receive VND500 million and the right to play a play-off match for another V-League promotion slot. The third team will receive VND250 million.

Regarding the National Cup 2016, from the quarter finals onwards, participating teams will play the first legs and the second legs for the right to the next rounds instead of a single match as before.

The National Cup tournament will open with the qualifying round taking place on April 2 with clashes between 14 V-League clubs and ten teams from the First Division. The tournament will end with the final match on September 29. National Cup champions will be awarded VND1 billion and win the right to play the Super Cup match national and the Asian Football Confederation Cup 2017 qualifying round. The runners-up will receive VND500 million, while the two shared third teams will be rewarded VND200 million each.

Also at the event, VPF reached deals with other companion sponsors for Vietnam’s professional football tournaments in 2016, including Thai Son Nam, FLC Group, Becamex IDC, and Khanh Hoa Swallow Nest Company.

In addition, VPF also signed an agreement on providing balls with local sportswear manufacturer Dong Luc Group. The company with its FIFA Quality Pro accredited balls won the right to provide balls to the nation’s top football championships for two years, starting in the V-League’s fifth round.

Nhan Dan