Sports Festival 2026: Towards an Annual National Sporting Event
Returning in 2026 on a larger scale, the Sports Festival brings together professional and semi-professional athletes while advancing its long-term goal of becoming a nationwide annual sporting event that promotes sports participation and public health.
Organized by the Vietnam People's Public Security Sports Association in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, and in partnership with the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee and NovaGroup, the Sports Festival aims to become an annual event that fosters the advancement of sports and physical training among the People’s Public Security forces, the military, and the general community.
Featuring a variety of competitions, exchange activities, and engaging experiences, the festival serves as a platform for officers, soldiers, athletes, and the public to enhance their physical fitness, strengthen relationships, and promote a vibrant cultural life.
In its very first season, the multi-sport festival showcased the attractiveness of its format. Thousands of athletes, coaches, referees, and spectators came together to participate in contests across various sports such as golf, road running, tennis, clay target shooting, and kickboxing.
In addition to professional competitions, a range of leisure activities and community involvement initiatives drew in local citizens and visitors, making sports more accessible to the public.
Building on this foundation, the Sports Festival 2026 will be broadened in both scale and sporting diversity. Taking place from July to September, the event will host 12 competitions spanning various disciplines and is projected to attract around 17,000 athletes and guests from both Vietnam and other countries.
Alongside returning events, this year's lineup will include new competitions such as the National Youth Triathlon Championship and the Beach Tennis Championship, while also enhancing its international presence with the ASEAN Police Open Golf Tournament 2026, which will invite police teams, clubs, and athletes from throughout Southeast Asia.
The broadened competition program embodies the festival's long-term aim of evolving into a comprehensive multi-sport event, featuring contests spanning several weeks to encourage participation by a diverse range of people. Elite athletes, amateur competitors, sports fans, and families can all get involved, helping to convey the message of "Staying healthy to contribute, to build, and to protect the nation."
A unique aspect of the Sports Festival is its combination of professional sporting competitions with cultural, tourism, and community activities. This approach aligns with a rising international trend where sporting events create value beyond mere competition by nurturing social bonds, highlighting local attractions and supporting the growth of the tourism and service sectors.
According to the event organizers, making the Sports Festival an annual occurrence will gradually foster a sustainable competition system, allowing sports federations, associations, clubs, and athletes to formulate long-term competition strategies while enhancing the quality of sporting event organization in Vietnam.
As the public's enthusiasm for fitness and sports participation continues to rise, large-scale sporting festivals are anticipated to bolster Vietnam's national campaign that encourages citizens to follow President Ho Chi Minh's example of regular exercise, while also creating additional healthy cultural and recreational areas for communities.
With a strategy for long-term development, Sports Festival 2026 seeks not only to present another successful edition but also to establish the groundwork for an annual sporting event that gains national recognition and expands international ties, thereby contributing to greater sports participation and improved community well-being.