Grand opening ceremony of the 1st Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival 2026

The opening ceremony of the 1st Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival 2026 took place in a solemn, vibrant atmosphere rich in cultural colors on the evening of April 19th, at the Saigon Riverfront Park (An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City). This event marks the beginning of the cuty's biggest sports festival. 

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong. Also present were leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee; leaders of the Vietnam Sports Department; representatives of departments, agencies, armed forces, and businesses; representatives of sports federations, associations, and centers; and athletes, coaches, and referees.

The grand sporting event of Ho Chi Minh City.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Alternate Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, said: "Physical education and sports not only improve the health and stature of the people but also contribute to fostering willpower, discipline, solidarity, and the aspiration for advancement of each individual, each locality, and the entire country."

The first Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026 is a grand event for all segments of the city's population, an opportunity to evaluate the movement of "All citizens practicing physical training following the example of the great President Ho Chi Minh." It is also an opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City to showcase its strength, select new talents, and identify outstanding athletes to prepare for the 10th National Sports Festival in 2026.

On this occasion, Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong extended his congratulations and expressed his deep belief that the first Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026 will be a great success, truly becoming a celebration of health, aspirations, and the belief in striving for excellence.

The opening ceremony of the 1st Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026 made a strong impression with its setting in an open riverside space, creating a sense of closeness and connection between sports and the community. The meticulously staged artistic performances harmoniously combined tradition and modernity, reflecting the unique identity of Ho Chi Minh City – a dynamic, creative, and vibrant metropolis.

A highlight of the program was the spectacular parade featuring 168 units from wards, communes, and special zones, along with teams of athletes from the armed forces and the referees. The synchronized and spirited march demonstrated the solidarity and high determination of the participating units.

According to Tran The Thuan, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, the Organizing Committee of the 1st Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026, stated that to make today's opening ceremony and the entire program of the Festival possible, the Organizing Committee received close attention and guidance from the City Party Committee, the People's Council, the People's Committee, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City; and the cooperation of various departments, agencies, organizations, armed forces, localities, training centers, art units, and all service personnel.

According to Mr. Tran The Thuan, the Congress also serves as a new foundation for the more systematic, synchronized, professional, and ambitious development of sports in the city.

With the theme "Rising High with the City," the Congress is not only a competition but also a symbol of the youth, dynamism, solidarity, and aspiration of the people of Ho Chi Minh City.

Throughout the city's strong development, sports continue to affirm their role as a source of positive energy, an environment for cultivating willpower, courage, discipline, and dedication, contributing to the holistic development of the city's people.

Expectations are high for a successful Congress that will leave a lasting impression.

One of the highlights of the Opening Ceremony was the torch relay, performed by the city's representative athletes, including: Nguyen Van Khanh Phong, Dang Ngoc Xuan Thien, Nguyen Tan Sang, Nguyen Hong Trong, Le Thi Cam Dung, Y Lien, Huynh Ha Huu Hieu, Tran Thi Thuy Trang, Nguyen Phuoc Den, Le Ngoc Nhu Y, and Tran Nhat Hoang.

In a highly anticipated moment, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Alternate Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, received the traditional torch from the delegation of outstanding athletes and performed the ritual of lighting the flame for the 1st Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026.

The blazing flame of the Games is not only a symbol of strength and noble sportsmanship, but also a source of motivation thatfuels the will of the athletes. It is the flame of aspiration, of belief in victory, and of solidarity – the core values ​​that the Games aim for.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, the first Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026 will take place from April to May 2026, featuring 44 sports and 832 events, attracting 136 participating units.

In preparation for the Congress, organizational work has been implemented synchronously from the grassroots level to the city level. Notably, 168 wards, communes, and special zones have completed organizing grassroots-level sports congresses, achieving 100% of the planned target.

On average, each organizing unit hosts about 8 sports events, with some places having up to 13, demonstrating the strong and widespread development of mass sports movements throughout the community. This is also an important foundation for the city's sports sector to continue maintaining its position as one of the leading localities nationwide in terms of sports movements and achievements.

With thorough preparation and an impressive scale of organization, the first Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in 2026 is expected to be a great success, becoming an important milestone in the city's sports development journey, and strongly spreading the physical training movement in the community.

Vietnam.vn