Preparations for Vietnam's 10th National Sports Games moved forward on 26 October. SGGP reported that the Games' doping control sub-committee plans to collect 160 samples across all sports, and that the men's futsal draw placed hosts Ho Chi Minh City in Group A. On the same day, Đà Nẵng and Quảng Trị held send-off ceremonies for their delegations, targeting 37-46 and five gold medals respectively, according to Báo Văn Hóa and Thanh Niên.
The Games and the doping programme
Báo Văn Hóa reports that the Games run from 14 November to 12 December 2026, with 48 sports and 973 medal events, spread across Ho Chi Minh City (including the former Bình Dương and Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu provinces), Đồng Nai and Đồng Tháp. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 19:45 on 21 November at the Saigon riverside park, and the closing ceremony for 12 December at the Phú Thọ circus and multi-purpose venue. According to SGGP, some sports start early, including the men's and women's marathons, table tennis and muay.
On doping, SGGP says no tests are carried out before the Games. The programme runs from the first day of competition to the closing day; testing is random and unannounced, and samples will be analysed at a WADA-accredited laboratory. Beforehand, Vietnam's sports authority required coaches and athletes in 24 sports to complete anti-doping education, and a representative of the Vietnam Anti-Doping Centre said athletes had been fully briefed on anti-doping rules before the Games.
Men's futsal: HCMC drawn with Tây Ninh, Quảng Ngãi and Đồng Tháp
The men's futsal draw was held online at the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) headquarters on 26 October, SGGP reported. The tournament runs from 20 to 29 November at the Chánh Hưng ward futsal arena in Ho Chi Minh City, with eight localities split into two groups.
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| A | Ho Chi Minh City, Tây Ninh, Quảng Ngãi, Đồng Tháp |
| B | Hà Nội (holders), Quảng Ninh, Lâm Đồng, Đồng Nai |
The hosts, built around Thái Sơn Nam TP.HCM, play Tây Ninh (19:00, 20 November), Quảng Ngãi (17:00, 22 November) and Đồng Tháp (17:00, 24 November). Đồng Tháp field the core of Sahako FC, third in both the 2026 national futsal championship and national cup, and are seen as the hosts' direct rivals for the group's two semi-final places. In Group B, holders Hà Nội rely on players from Thái Sơn Bắc, who won the domestic double in 2026.
Ho Chi Minh City have not won futsal gold at the last two Games; in 2022 they took silver after a narrow 2-3 defeat by Hà Nội. This time Trần Thái Huy, Châu Đoàn Phát, Nguyễn Thịnh Phát and Nhan Gia Hưng left the club on 26 October to join the Vietnam futsal team for the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, and captain Nguyễn Mạnh Dũng is injured. Coach Trần Văn Vũ said the city remains one of the cradles of Vietnamese futsal, so the support comes with big expectations.
Đà Nẵng and Quảng Trị set targets
| Delegation | Squad | Sports | Gold target | Ranking target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Đà Nẵng | 522 athletes, 103 coaches, 15 officials and staff | 39 | 37-46 | 7th-8th |
| Quảng Trị | 98 members | 12 | 5 (of 29 medals in total) | 25th-28th of 36 delegations |
At Đà Nẵng's send-off on the morning of 26 October, city vice-chair Nguyễn Thị Anh Thi told members to stay away from doping, banned substances and cheating, Báo Văn Hóa reported. The city is also looking ahead to the 11th Games in 2030, which Đà Nẵng is expected to host.
Quảng Trị are aiming for five golds, five silvers and 19 bronzes, with swimming and canoeing among their strongest sports, Thanh Niên reported. The delegation builds on the records of two provinces that have since merged: in 2022, the former Quảng Bình won five golds, nine silvers and three bronzes to finish 34th of 65, while the former Quảng Trị won one gold, four silvers and five bronzes and placed 55th.
What's next
Key dates until the Games close, based on SGGP and Báo Văn Hóa:
- 11 November: Ho Chi Minh City's futsal internationals return to their club, leaving about a week of full-squad training.
- 14 November: the Games officially begin.
- 20 November: men's futsal starts, with Ho Chi Minh City v Tây Ninh at 19:00.
- 21 November: opening ceremony, scheduled for 19:45 at the Saigon riverside park.
- 29 November: men's futsal ends.
- 12 December: closing ceremony at Phú Thọ, which also ends the doping-control period.