Cong An Ha Noi secured a surprise 2-0 victory away to Adelaide United on August 11 in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off, earning a place in the league stage of the competition.
The result makes Cong An Ha Noi the first Vietnamese club to reach the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite since the competition adopted its new format in 2023.
Hanoi Police FC are the first Vietnamese club to reach the AFC Champions League Elite league stage (Photo: AFC).
The achievement will give the Vietnamese side the chance to face some of the strongest clubs in Asia. It will also earn the club USD 800,000 in prize money from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for participating in the league stage.
If Cong An Ha Noi reach the round of 16, they will receive an additional USD 200,000. The prize rises to USD 400,000 for reaching the quarter-finals and USD 600,000 for reaching the semi-finals.
The AFC Champions League Elite winners will receive USD 10 million, while the runners-up will earn USD 4 million.
Photo: Hanoi Police FC.
The draw for the league stage is scheduled for August 18. Each team will play eight matches, with four at home and four away, to determine the eight highest-ranked teams in the East and West regions that will advance to the round of 16.
Cong An Ha Noi's victory also ended Adelaide United's hopes of reaching the continent's top club competition, although the Australian side will continue its Asian campaign in the AFC Champions League Two.
