Ho Chi Minh City: On the way to becoming the No. 1 sports center in Vietnam!

Ho Chi Minh City: On the way to becoming the No. 1 sports center in Vietnam!

Ho Chi Minh City has emerged as Vietnam's national sports capital after consolidating its position as a leading sports hub. According to information from Vietnam.vn The city ranked second among 65 evaluated entities at the 2022 National Sports Festival, behind Hanoi and ahead of Binh Duong and Ba Ria – Vung Tau. These successes reflect the large number of athletes and the strong performance in the competitions, although Ho Chi Minh City is only just behind Hanoi in gold medals.

The city faces the challenge of developing as a regional sports center, which is linked to both the population size and the economic contribution of the metropolis. The merger of the various sports units within the city has meant that bottlenecks in land financing and large sports facilities have been eliminated. An active goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem with modern infrastructure to be able to host major international sporting events.

A variety of sports options in the city

Ho Chi Minh City offers numerous sports opportunities for enthusiasts. Football has established itself as the most popular sport, with numerous clubs for amateur players. The most famous clubs include:Saigon Saints, which was founded in 1995 and has a diverse international player base. Training sessions cost around 100,000 VND per session. Another club thatSaigon Hotshots, focuses on social aspects and offers training for newcomers.

The city is also known for its diverse opportunities to watch football matches. More and more pubs and bars have established themselves during the tournaments, including theGuru Sports Bar, theOrient Pub Saigonand theBlue Gecko Bar. Live games often take place in theThong Nhat Stadiumin District 10.

More than just football

In addition to football, basketball has also become more popular, especially since NBA games began being broadcast in 2015. For those interested in basketball, there are facilities such asSports Skills Academyand thatAIS Sports Centeravailable while the professional teamSaigon Heatplays in the ASEAN League.

There are plenty of options for martial arts fans, particularly in mixed martial arts and Vovinam, a traditional Vietnamese martial art founded in 1935. TheHoa Lu Vovinam Clubis a well-known provider here.

Infrastructure and outlook

The existing sports facilities in Ho Chi Minh City, including Thong Nhat Stadium and Hoa Lu Stadium, provide a solid basis for the future development of sports. However, despite great progress, there is a lack of international quality competition venues, which became clear during stadium repairs. The city plans to host various sporting events, including the SEA Games, within the next decade.

In conclusion, Ho Chi Minh City has a promising sporting future, which is expected to be further strengthened through effective consolidation of existing resources and facilities. Long-term plans are underway to create a centralized sports ecosystem to create the conditions for hosting international competitions.