The V.League 1 season starts in January and ends in September. In each season, each club plays each of the other clubs twice, once at home and another away, for a total of 26 games. Teams are ranked by total points, head-to-head, goal difference and goals scored. Top team is qualified for AFC Champions League group stages. For 2010 season, two bottom teams are relegated to the Vietnam First Division while third lowest placed team goes to play-off with the third highest placed team from the First Division. Starting in the 2013 season, the number of clubs participating in the V.League 1 would be decreased from fourteen to twelve after three clubs failed to register. Also in the same season, the bottom team will be relegated to the First Division while the top three teams from the First Division will be promoted into the V-League 1. Starting in the 2015 season, the league is competed by 14 teams.