Sports

The 2026 Halong Bay Heritage Marathon is expected to draw around 18,000 domestic and international runners when it takes place from November 20–22, with race day scheduled for November 22, organisers announced on August 2.

The 44th Nhan Dan Newspaper National Table Tennis Championships for the Ca Mau Fertiliser Cup 2026 will take place in Hai Phong from August 8 to 16, bringing together the country's leading players in what is expected to be one of Viet Nam's most competitive domestic tournaments.

The Viet Nam national football team will compete in Division 1 of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 and has been drawn in Group B alongside Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan, according to the group-stage draw announced by FIFA on July 29.

The third “Walking on the Clouds” mountain race 2026 will be staged in Lai Chau Province on October 4, drawing up to 500 climbers from across the country.

For the first time in history, the 15th National Traditional Martial Arts Club Championship 2026 featured the participation of traditional martial arts clubs from a range of countries in the official competition. This milestone is expected to open a new chapter in the internationalisation of Vietnamese traditional martial arts.

Viet Nam opened its 2026 ASEAN Cup campaign with a commanding 7-0 victory over Timor-Leste in Group A on July 24.

Viet Nam remained in the world's top 100 in the latest FIFA men's rankings released after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite major changes at the top of the table following the tournament.

The championships, held in the southern city of Dong Nai from July 17-22, featured Tanding (combat) and Seni (artistic performance) events. Indonesia ranked second overall, while Malaysia came third.

With a fortified squad and meticulous preparation, the Viet Nam national football team have set their sights on successfully defending the title at the 2026 ASEAN Championship, which will officially kick off on July 24, when Viet Nam face Timor-Leste at My Dinh National Stadium.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Thi Ngoc Loan said the championship offers athletes an opportunity to compete in a spirit of fairness and sportsmanship while promoting exchanges, mutual understanding and friendship among participating countries.

Viet Nam's dancesport team delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Asian Dancesport Championships, winning 21 gold, nine silver, and 14 bronze medals to top the overall medal standings ahead of Taiwan (China), Hong Kong (China), China, and Malaysia.

Vietnamese wushu athlete Duong Thuy Vi has claimed her first-ever gold medal at the fourth Wushu Taolu World Cup after producing a commanding performance in the women’s qiangshu event in Haikou, China.

As one of the region's premier karate competitions under the Asian Karate Federation's high-performance competition system, the tournament is expected to showcase high standard performances.

Viet Nam will host the Esports Grand Championship (EGC) 2026 for the first time, according to the Sports Authority of Viet Nam.

More than 5,000 people joined a community walk programme in Ho Chi Minh City on June 28 to mark 50 years since the Vietnamese southern hub Sai Gon – Gia Dinh was officially named after President Ho Chi Minh on July 2, 1976.

With its larger scale and broader international participation, Sports Festival 2026 is expected to become one of Viet Nam's standout sporting events this summer while enriching community activities and supporting tourism during the peak travel season.

Nguyen Thi Dieu Ly won Viet Nam's only gold at the Asian Karate Championships, which wrapped up on June 21 in Indonesia.

Quartet Ta Ngoc Tuong, Vu Ngoc Khanh, Tran Dinh Son and Le Ngoc Phuc stunned onlookers with their win in the men's 4x400m event.

More than 550 chess players are competing at 2026 National Team Chess Championship, which is taking place in Ninh Binh Province from June 13 to 21.

Viet Nam was represented by two athletes, Doan Thu Huyen and Tran Thi Bich Thuy, under the guidance of coach Bui Quang Vu.