Chinese media reports on Vietnam building the world's largest stadium.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Sohu newspaper suggests that Vietnam's construction of the world's largest stadium is proof of the immense ambition of Vietnamese football.

"Vietnam is quietly building a colossal structure. The world's largest stadium is about to change hands," that was the headline of an article on China's Sohu website about the Trong Dong Stadium.

The Trong Dong Stadium project made a strong impression on Sohu (Photo: Trong Dong Stadium).

According to Sohu, the Trong Dong Stadium, with a capacity of 135,000 seats, is set to become the world's largest stadium, surpassing the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat (India), which has a capacity of 110,000 seats. The Trong Dong Stadium is expected to be completed in 2028.

Chinese newspapers also suggested that Vietnamese football has very high ambitions in building the world's largest stadium. Sohu commented: “This move is not spontaneous. In recent years, Vietnamese football has developed rapidly. The Vietnam U23 team just qualified for the semi-finals of the U23 Asian Championship, and the Vietnamese national team has been steadily climbing the world rankings. Furthermore, Vietnamese fans are known for their passion.”

But the problem is that there are too few stadiums that meet the required standards in the country. Don't even talk about hosting the World Cup; even organizing the Asian Cup would be a challenge for Vietnamese football. With Vietnam's population approaching 100 million, if the sports infrastructure doesn't keep pace, it would be a real waste of enormous potential for spectators.

Therefore, the Vietnamese government has long set its sights on major events like the ASIAD, the Olympics, and even the World Cup. But how can one host such tournaments without world-class stadiums? And so, the Trong Dong Stadium became the "trump card," needing not only to be large but also modern and technologically advanced.

According to leaked information, the Trong Dong Stadium will boast the world's largest retractable roof, opening when sunny and closing when rainy, offering incredible flexibility. The entire stadium will be equipped with a full-coverage air conditioning system, ensuring a sweat-free football viewing experience in the hot and humid Southeast Asian climate. The pitch can also be completely replaced within 6-10 hours: today for a football match, tomorrow for a concert, the day after for athletics – a highly flexible transition.

Even more remarkably, the seats are integrated with 5G technology and an AI-powered intelligent management system that can regulate passenger flow and monitor security in real time… sounding like something straight out of a science fiction movie.

In terms of design, the Trong Dong Stadium draws inspiration from the Dong Son bronze drums and mythical bird motifs in Vietnamese culture, combining traditional elements with futuristic architectural styles. It must be said that Vietnam has truly invested heavily this time.”

However, Sohu also issued a warning to Vietnam regarding the construction of the Trong Dong stadium: “However, don't be too quick to praise it. Around the world, many 'big-budget' projects have become costly lessons. The 1976 Montreal Olympics left Canada burdened with debt for 30 years because the stadium construction costs escalated dramatically. In Brazil, the stadium in Brasilia after the 2014 World Cup fell into disrepair, with extremely low occupancy rates, yet maintenance costs still amounted to tens of millions of USD each year.”

These examples show that building a stadium is difficult, but operating and maintaining it is even more challenging. The Trong Dong Stadium will certainly require a huge investment, not to mention the electricity costs for air conditioning the entire stadium, turf maintenance, technology updates… all of which are "money-guzzling machines".

More importantly, even though Vietnamese football is progressing rapidly, will stadium occupancy rates and commercial potential keep pace with European leagues? If stadiums are completed but consistently lack spectators, will they become merely "image projects"?

Many people might wonder, "We watch football for the lively atmosphere, is it really necessary to be so ostentatious? Will ticket prices increase?" Indeed, what fans care most about is whether they can buy tickets at a reasonable price and fully enjoy the match.

No matter how advanced the technology is, if the public doesn't benefit, it's just for show. For example, a mobile pitch sounds impressive, but does frequent changes affect the quality of play? A stadium-wide air conditioning system provides comfort, but are the operating costs "passed into the ticket price"?

However, any current assessment is still premature. Only when the Trong Dong stadium is completed in 2028 will its effectiveness be proven. One thing is certain: Vietnam is placing a great deal of hope and sporting ambition on this project. If successful, it could be a turning point that elevates Vietnam to new heights in regional and international sports. If not, it will be a costly lesson.”

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/bao-trung-quoc-noi-ve-viec-viet-nam-xay-san-van-dong-lon-nhat-the-gioi-20260216095756193.htm