Ho Chi Minh City plans to send 432 coaches and 1,453 athletes to the tenth National Games in 2026, Nguyen Nam Nhan told SGGP. The proposed programme covers 777 events across 46 sports, with an overall top-two finish targeted.
Preparing for individual events
The deputy director of the city's culture and sports department said preparations prioritise competitive quality. Teams have trained domestically and abroad, with sports science and medicine incorporated into the process.
The planned delegation includes 290 athletes training with national teams. Their experience also creates coordination demands around workloads, form and timing.
Nhan emphasised fitness, health and psychological preparation. These are areas of ongoing work rather than confirmation that every athlete has completed registration or reached peak condition.
Competition and hosting responsibilities
Alongside the top-two objective, the city aims to lead the standings in 16 strong sports or disciplines. These are targets before competition, not titles already won.
Nhan identified competition from other localities and sectors as a major challenge. The city expects contributions from established athletes and younger prospects, treating the Games as a development opportunity for future national-team members.
As the main host locality, Ho Chi Minh City also has organisational duties beyond its own delegation. Nhan stressed safety, fairness and effective delivery alongside results.
The next tasks are completing sporting preparations, coordinating athletes with national commitments and finalising hosting work. Assessment afterwards will require actual performances as well as delivery of those organisational responsibilities.