The opening ceremony of Vietnam’s 2026 National Games is scheduled to feature a torch procession on the Saigon River at 20:20 on 21 November. Vietnam’s sports authority reported that 21 athletes are expected to carry the flame towards the main stage at Saigon Riverside Park in An Khánh ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
A river route for the flame
The plan moves the procession beyond the conventional stadium setting. The city’s culture and sports department and its aquatic sports centre are preparing more than 100 athletes for performances and escort duties.
Sailing boats, jet skis, specialised vessels and flyboards feature in the proposed programme, together with paragliding. Bringing these activities into one procession requires coordinated formations and timing across the water area.
These details describe a preparation plan. They do not mean the ceremony has taken place or that the final programme and participation numbers are already settled.
Rehearsals before the opening
The report notes regular water traffic around Nhà Rồng Wharf, Bạch Đằng Wharf and Ba Son Bridge. Preparations include marker buoys, channels for directing other vessels and rescue boats for both rehearsal and performance periods.
Those are planned organisational measures, rather than evidence that every operational risk has been eliminated. Rehearsing the interaction between athletes, vessels and event personnel remains part of the work ahead.
A full-route rehearsal is scheduled for 19 November, followed by a technical session on 20 November. The Games are expected to bring together 36 delegations across 48 sports and 973 medal events. The two rehearsal dates are the next practical checks before the planned ceremony on 21 November.