Hanoi's sports delegation held its send-off ceremony on 27 October with orders to finish in the leading group at the 10th National Sports Games in 2026, SGGP reported. On the same day, Bao Van Hoa reported that the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) had made the draw and set the schedule for the men's and women's football tournaments, handing both Ho Chi Minh City teams tough opponents. Tuoi Tre, meanwhile, detailed how Ho Chi Minh City has renovated, upgraded and built venues for the Games.
Hanoi: 1,286 members in 44 of 48 sports
The ceremony was organised by Hanoi's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Vice Chair of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha acknowledged the training efforts of officials, coaches and athletes and asked the delegation to stay united and give their best to finish among the leaders. Deputy department director Pham Xuan Tai heads the 1,286-member delegation, which will compete in 44 of the 48 official sports.
Its entries include archer Loc Thi Dao, shooter Ngo Huu Vuong, chess player Le Tuan Minh, wushu athlete Duong Thuy Vi, golfer Le Chuc An, track athlete Khuat Phuong Anh, fencer Vu Thanh An and boxer Nguyen Thi Tam.
Hanoi topped the medal table at the 9th Games in 2022 with 175 golds, 143 silvers and 157 bronzes. Delegation leaders expect a much tougher fight this time because many other units have prepared thoroughly. Hanoi also plans to raise private funding for an instant bonus pool for its best performers.
Football: Ho Chi Minh City's fixtures
According to Bao Van Hoa, five teams will play a single round robin in the women's tournament from 19 November to 2 December at Ba Ria Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City. The city's women play:
| Date | Kick-off (local time) | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| 19 November | 18:30 | Quang Ninh |
| 23 November | 16:00 | Ninh Binh |
| 29 November | 16:00 | Thai Nguyen |
| 2 December | 18:30 | Hanoi |
Thai Nguyen, runners-up in the 2026 national women's championship, and third-placed Hanoi are seen as the main rivals of coach Doan Thi Kim Chi's side for gold. Ho Chi Minh City last won the Games title in 2018 and took silver behind Quang Ninh in 2022. Preparation time is short: after the group stage of the 2026-27 AFC Women's Champions League in India, the team is expected back on 9 November, about 10 days before it starts, and the staff are considering bringing in young players from Ho Chi Minh City II.
The men's tournament is for U21 teams, with nine sides in two groups from 22 November to 6 December at the Go Dau and Dong Hoa stadiums. Ho Chi Minh City's U21s are in Group A and will play Quan Doi on 26 November, Hanoi on 29 November and Dak Lak on 1 December, all at 17:15 at Dong Hoa. Coach Lu Dinh Tuan's squad, training in Ba Ria, aims to match the bronze the city's men won in 2022.
Ho Chi Minh City's venues
Tuoi Tre reports that the city has both upgraded existing facilities and built new ones, with an eye on their use long after the Games.
| Venue | Investment | Status | Role at the Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thong Nhat Stadium | nearly 320 billion dong | work began in late March 2026; main parts largely complete | athletics |
| Hoa Lu Stadium | over 93.7 billion dong | handed over at the end of 2025 | logistics base; training for women's football, athletics, aerobics, table tennis |
| Talent training centre at Hoa Lu | over 274 billion dong | under construction since September 2025, due in November 2026 | youth development |
| Phu Tho Gymnasium | nearly 230 billion dong | work began on 26 April 2025, finished in early July | fencing, gymnastics |
| Phu Tho Club | not given | renovated over 18 months | swimming, diving |
At Thong Nhat, stands A, C and D, the pitch, the running track and the long jump and shot put areas are largely finished, and from 18 to 21 October Cuddikotta Valson, Asia's director of athletics competition and officiating, inspected and certified the track. Phu Tho Gymnasium has 13,770 m² of built and renovated floor space on a 47,027 m² site, while Phu Tho Club replaced all 300 seats and installed Olympic-standard lighting and a closed filtration system using ozone and UV light.
Nguyen Nam Nhan, deputy director of the city's Department of Culture and Sports, told Tuoi Tre that the city was not preparing for a few weeks of competition but using the Games to standardise how it runs sport for years to come. Before each project, he said, it asked three questions: is a new build really needed, who will use it after the Games, and what resources will keep it running.
What comes next
Ho Chi Minh City's women open on 19 November against Quang Ninh at 18:30 at Ba Ria, the first day of the women's tournament, and the U21 side start on 26 November against Quan Doi. Before then, the women's team is expected home from India on 9 November and the Hoa Lu training centre is scheduled for completion in November 2026. Both Ho Chi Minh City teams also face Hanoi, while Hanoi's delegation goes into the Games aiming to stay in the leading group despite what its leaders expect to be fierce competition.