Ho Chi Minh City aims for sustainable development of sports and physical education.

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City will receive significant investment in sports and fitness infrastructure.

The year 2025 marks a significant milestone in the development history of Ho Chi Minh City as its administrative boundaries are expanded, merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces. This is a turning point that will help the city become the economic , cultural, and sports center of the entire country.

Outstanding achievements

According to statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports , the city's sports sector achieved many positive results last year.

In terms of mass sports, the city has 36.7% of its population regularly participating in physical exercise and sports, with 32% of families involved in sports. Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City has over 15,600 sports facilities and clubs serving various sports, catering to the training needs of all segments of the population.

Ho Chi Minh City's sports sector aims to become the leading force in national sports (Photo: Dong Linh)

Ho Chi Minh City's high-performance athlete training program follows a three-tiered system (national team, youth team, and talent development team), ensuring stability and development across 49 sports. Ho Chi Minh City has organized and hosted 99 city-level competitions, 63 national competitions, and 12 international competitions; and participated in 209 national competitions and 113 international competitions.

Last year, Ho Chi Minh City achieved the following results at national competitions: 2,106 gold medals, 1,758 silver medals, and 2,140 bronze medals (a 46% increase compared to 2024); and at international competitions: 213 gold medals, 149 silver medals, and 154 bronze medals (a 16% increase). At the recent SEA Games 33, Ho Chi Minh City's sports teams excellently contributed 22 gold medals, 22 silver medals, and 21 bronze medals to the Vietnamese sports delegation (accounting for 25.3%).

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City will receive significant investment in sports infrastructure. Many facilities have been and are being renovated, expanded, and upgraded, such as: Phu Tho Gymnasium, Thong Nhat Stadium, Military Zone 7 Stadium, Hoa Lu Stadium, Lanh Binh Thang Gymnasium, the Sports Training and Competition Center in Binh Duong Ward, and the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Gymnasium...

These projects are all progressing on schedule to better serve the training and competition needs of sports teams and the organization of sports activities in the city, while simultaneously preparing to host the National Sports Games in 2026.

Focus on high-performance, professional sports.

However, there are still limitations that the sports sector in Ho Chi Minh City must face, and solutions need to be proposed.

For example, investment in high-performance sports has not yet created a breakthrough; the application of scientific and technological achievements and sports medicine in athlete training is still lacking. In addition, the land allocated for sports facilities is insufficient to meet requirements, and public spaces are increasingly shrinking due to rapid urbanization.

According to the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, the department's task in 2026 is to focus on developing high-performance and professional sports based on leveraging the strengths of each locality. This includes prioritizing Olympic sports, key traditional sports, and contributing high-quality athletes to Vietnamese sports. Ho Chi Minh City's sports sector aims to maintain its position as one of the top two localities nationwide in terms of sporting achievements, with a view to the 2027 SEA Games and other major regional tournaments.

Furthermore, Ho Chi Minh City is developing a comprehensive mass sports movement; improving the health, stature, and quality of life of its residents. In addition, the city is strengthening digital transformation, applying science and technology and artificial intelligence; and preparing a strong contingent of athletes to participate in and achieve high results at the 2026 National Sports Games, maintaining its position as one of the top two localities overall.

At the city's cultural and sports sector review conference, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Tran Thi Dieu Thuy requested the Department of Culture and Sports to strengthen foreign cooperation, organize regional and international-scale events, and link the development of the cultural industry with tourism and the night-time economy. The city needs to develop sustainable sports, using mass movements as a foundation and high-performance sports as a spearhead, and prepare well for organizing the 2026 National Sports Games.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tp-hcm-huong-den-phat-trien-the-duc-the-thao-ben-vung-196260101205315599.htm