Sports

Nearly 11,000 athletes from 75 countries and territories competed in the 13th Ho Chi Minh City Marathon, which kicked off on Le Duan street on the morning of January 11.

Again it took until the final minutes, but Viet Nam found their second win in the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup against Kyrgyzstan, and put one foot into the quarter-finals of the tournament.

The 13th Ho Chi Minh City Marathon officially kicked off on January 9. In addition to professional standards and the race experience, medical services and healthcare for athletes continue to be given top priority by the organisers.

The outstanding performance of Ha Noi athletes at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games reflects the municipal authorities’ strategic investment in high-performance sports, aiming for success at the Asian and global stages, Deputy Chairwoman of the Ha Noi People’s Committee Vu Thu Ha has said.

Viet Nam’s U23 team made an impressive start to the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals, defeating U23 Jordan 2-0 on January 6 at King Abdullah Sports City Hall in Saudi Arabia.

Viet Nam’s U23 national football team will begin their campaign at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 with their opening match against Jordan U23 on January 6.

With the participation of nearly 100 overseas Vietnamese golfers from 12 countries, the 8th Worldwide Overseas Vietnamese Golf Championship is taking place from January 4 to 6, 2026, promising to deliver lively and compelling competition while also helping to strengthen solidarity within the global Vietnamese community.

The 13th ASEAN Para Games, scheduled for January 15-27 in Nakhon Ratchasima province of Thailand, is expected to be a fiercely competitive arena, bringing together the region’s top athletes with disabilities.

On December 31, the Sports Authority of Viet Nam unveiled the list of outstanding athletes, coaches, and sports teams of 2025.

After eight days of intense play in the blitz and standard formats, the first Ninh Binh GM/IM/FM Chess Tournament 2025 concluded on December 27.

Midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc of Ninh Binh FC has been named the winner of the Viet Nam Golden Ball Award 2025 in the men’s category at a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 26. This marks the third time he has received the prestigious accolade.

According to the latest rankings released by FIFA on December 22, the Viet Nam men’s national football team has climbed three places to 107th in the world, marking a positive improvement in its position following recent encouraging results.

More than 100 chess players are taking part in the 2025 International Grandmaster and Master Chess Tournament, which commenced in Ninh Binh Province on December 21.

After three days of vibrant competition, on the afternoon of December 21, in Ha Noi, the 18th Viet Nam Journalists Association Table Tennis Cup Championship 2025 officially concluded, with awards presented to outstanding athletes.

The closing ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) was held solemnly at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, officially bringing to a close more than 10 days of exciting competition across Southeast Asia. 

On the final day of competition at the 33rd SEA Games on December 20, Viet Nam’s swimming team continued their strong performance by winning the country’s 87th gold medal in the mixed 4×1,500m open water relay.

The Vietnamese delegation closed the penultimate day of competition at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games with a flurry of gold medals across multiple sports, raising its gold total to 86 and officially securing third place overall.

The afternoon of December 19 continued to witness a strong surge by the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, as powerhouse sports such as wrestling, boxing, aerobic gymnastics and chess delivered gold medals, pushing Vietnam’s total golds to 84.

Viet Nam’s sports delegation continued to receive good news on the morning of December 19 as strong disciplines such as shooting and traditional boat racing secured a series of important gold medals, further improving the country’s position on the 33rd SEA Games medal table.

The Vietnamese U22 team’s thrilling 3–2 comeback win over hosts Thailand in the men’s football final at the 33rd SEA Games not only secured a coveted gold medal, but also sparked a wave of strong reactions from regional and international media.