LookAtVietnam – Viet Nam Football Federation inked a two-year sponsorship contract with Huu Lien A Chau company yesterday.

Cash injection: Top striker Le Cong Vinh (left) joins in a sponsorship ceremony for the national team yesterday.

The team will compete for the 2011 Asian Cup qualifiers in Qatar and the Southeast Asian Games in Laos this December.

The agreement comes after Viet Nam’s win in the ASEAN Football Federation, said Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF)’s vice chairman Vu Quang Vinh.

“The new sponsorship will give the national team a boost for big tournaments in coming years.”

The national men’s team has been the main money earner for the VFF along with the national top football championship, V-League.

According to VFF’s general secretary, Tran Quoc Tuan, the team will wear new jerseys with Nike slogans this year and the strip will change with each season.

Last month, the squad moved up another three steps to place 135th in the rankings of the world football governing body, FIFA.

For the Asian Cup qualifiers, Viet Nam drew Group D with China, Syria and Lebanon. The team will play in two-leg round robins, with the two top teams to qualify for Asian Cup play in Qatar in 2011.

Viet Nam crushed Lebanon 3-1 in the Group D opener at Ha Noi’s My Dinh National Stadium, but lost 6-1 to China in the second game in Hangzhou last month.

After winning the AFF Cup last December, Viet Nam received a record cash-prize of VND11 billion ($647,000) in prize money, of which key players and the coach were given awarded the biggest sum, while other players and officials got between VND400 million ($22,000) and VND200 million ($11,000) each.

A source from VFF said Boss paint company and other businesses were also interested in sponsoring the team.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News