Football operates as the central mass phenomenon in Vietnamese sport. The national men's team qualified for the AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals in 2007, their best performance in that tournament. Under South Korean coach Park Hang-seo from 2017 to 2022, Vietnam won the AFF Championship in 2018, reached the AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals in 2019, and secured silver at the Asian Games 2018, their first medal in football at that event. The under-23 team finished second at the AFC U-23 Championship in 2018, triggering celebrations across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City that drew millions into streets. Park's tenure produced a 60 percent win rate across 69 matches. The national team peaked at 84th in FIFA rankings in August 2018, then reached 92nd in February 2022. Vietnamese clubs compete in V.League 1, established in its current form in 1980 as the National Football Championship. Hanoi FC has won eight titles between 2004 and 2023. Than Quảng Ninh won the 2019 championship before dissolving in 2021 due to financial collapse. Attendance at V.League 1 matches averaged 4,200 in the 2019 season before the pandemic. The 2018 AFF Championship final second leg at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi drew 40,000 spectators, with an estimated 45 million watching on television across Vietnam. Nguyen Quang Hai, born 1997, won AFC U-23 Championship Player of the Tournament in 2018 and Asian Football Confederation Player of the Year at youth level that same year. He transferred from Hanoi FC to Pau FC in France in 2023.
Sepak takraw competes with football for participation rates in schools and informal settings across Vietnam. The national team won gold in men's team regu at the Southeast Asian Games in 1991, 2003, and 2009. Vietnam hosted the ISTAF SuperSeries in Ho Chi Minh City in 2011 and 2012. The sport combines football kicking techniques with volleyball net dynamics, using a woven rattan ball 12 to 13 centimeters in diameter. Vietnamese teams employ a playing style emphasizing defensive receives and rapid counter-spikes. The women's national team secured bronze at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games. Facilities for sepak takraw exist in most Vietnamese secondary schools, with the Ministry of Education including it in physical education curricula since 1995. The Vietnam Sepak Takraw Federation, established 1989, reports 28 provincial federations operating under its structure. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City each maintain four permanent sepak takraw courts in public sports complexes.
Vovinam, a Vietnamese martial art created by Nguyen Loc in 1938, emphasizes philosophical balance alongside combat techniques. The system incorporates strikes, kicks, throws, joint locks, and weapons training with swords, staffs, and fans. Nguyen Loc developed vovinam in Hanoi during the French colonial period, opening his first school in 1940. The Communist government initially restricted vovinam practice after 1954 in northern Vietnam, viewing it as connected to non-socialist nationalist movements. Restrictions eased in 1964. Le Sang, Nguyen Loc's successor, systematized the curriculum into three levels covering 56 techniques in the foundational blue belt program. The World Vovinam Federation, headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, reports practitioners in 63 countries as of 2023. Vietnam hosted the World Vovinam Championship in Hanoi in 2009 and in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019, with 28 and 34 participating nations respectively. Practitioners number approximately 2.3 million in Vietnam according to federation data from 2022. Training centers operate in all 63 Vietnamese provinces.
Badminton generates elite performance levels despite lower participation than football or sepak takraw. Nguyen Tien Minh, born 1983, reached world ranking number 5 in August 2014, the highest ever for a Vietnamese player. He won bronze at the World Championships in 2013 in men's singles, Vietnam's first medal in that tournament. Nguyen competed in four Olympic Games between 2004 and 2016. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he defeated Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark ranked world number 2 in the round of 16. The Vietnam Badminton Federation operates 19 training centers nationally. Vietnam hosted the Vietnam Open Grand Prix tournament annually from 2009 to 2017 in Ho Chi Minh City, upgraded to Super 100 level in the Badminton World Federation structure in 2018. Nguyen Thuy Linh, born 1997, won gold at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in women's singles. The national mixed doubles pair of Do Tuan Duc and Pham Nhu Xuan finished ninth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Vietnamese players typically train six days weekly with sessions lasting four hours.
Traditional boat racing occurs during the annual Mid-Autumn Festival and Tet celebrations across delta regions. The Mekong Delta provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho host races with boats 25 to 30 meters long carrying crews of 40 to 50 rowers. Khmer-Vietnamese communities in Soc Trang and Tra Vinh provinces conduct Ngo boat races during the Ok Om Bok festival in the tenth lunar month. Boats feature carved dragon or serpent prows. Races in Can Tho during the 2023 Tet festival drew 18 teams and an estimated 50,000 spectators along the Hau River. Northern Vietnam's Red River Delta conducts smaller-scale races with boats 15 to 18 meters long during village festivals. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism classifies traditional boat racing as intangible cultural heritage requiring preservation, issuing guidelines in 2018 for safety standards and event organization.
Esports viewership expanded sharply between 2018 and 2023. The national team won gold at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in esports exhibition events for Arena of Valor and Starcraft II. Riot Games established a Vietnam Championship Series for League of Legends in 2014. Vietnamese team GAM Esports reached quarterfinals at the League of Legends World Championship in 2017. The team defeated Fnatic of Europe and finished group stage with a 4-6 record. Riot Games Vietnam operates from offices in Ho Chi Minh City. The 2022 VCS Spring finals at Phu Tho Indoor Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City sold 8,000 seats. Vietnam ranks fourth globally in player base for League of Legends according to Riot Games data from 2023. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournaments organized by Moonton attract viewership comparable to VCS, with the 2023 national championship final reaching 1.2 million concurrent viewers on streaming platforms. The Vietnam Esports Association, formed in 2020 under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, governs competitive gaming across 12 recognized titles.
Chess produces consistent international results. Lê Quang Liêm, born 1991, became a grandmaster at age 13 in 2006, then the youngest in Vietnamese history. He won the Aeroflot Open in Moscow in 2008 at age 16. Lê achieved a peak FIDE rating of 2739 in April 2013, reaching world ranking number 30. He won the 2019 HD Bank Cup in Ho Chi Minh City. Lê competed for Webster University chess team in the United States from 2012 to 2017, winning the President's Cup collegiate championship four times. The Vietnam Chess Federation reports 180,000 registered players as of 2022. Vietnam hosted the World Blitz Chess Championship in Ho Chi Minh City in 2013. Female players include Pham Le Thao Nguyen, who earned the Woman Grandmaster title in 2013 at age 19. The national team won bronze at the Asian Nations Cup in 2018. Schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City include chess in extracurricular programs, with the federation operating 47 training centers targeting students aged 6 to 16.
Cycling competitions center on annual professional road races. The Cúp Truyền Hình Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh, established 1989, covers approximately 2,000 kilometers across 17 stages over three weeks in April. The 2023 edition included 19 teams with 114 riders from 12 nations. Vietnamese teams compete against squads from Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Nguyễn Thành Tâm won the yellow jersey for overall victory in 2019 and 2022. The race traverses routes from Ho Chi Minh City through the Central Highlands to Hanoi, with mountain stages in Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot exceeding 2,000 meters elevation gain. Track cycling athletes train at Rạch Chiếc Sports Complex in Ho Chi Minh City, which features a 250-meter indoor velodrome opened in 2003. Nguyễn Thị Thật won bronze in the women's 500-meter time trial at the 2018 Asian Games, Vietnam's first medal in track cycling at that event. The Vietnam Cycling Federation operates 23 provincial chapters.
Table tennis maintains participation through school programs and workplace recreation clubs. Dinh Tran Hoang Linh competed in women's singles at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. She reached the round of 32 in 2012. Vietnam hosted the ITTF Challenge Vietnam Open annually in Ho Chi Minh City from 2008 to 2019. The national team won bronze at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in women's team competition. Approximately 340,000 Vietnamese play table tennis regularly according to 2021 data from the Vietnam Table Tennis Federation. Equipment manufacturers Thiên Long and Bitex produce tables and paddles domestically, supplying schools and clubs. The national training center in Hanoi operates year-round programs for 80 athletes aged 12 to 22.
Traditional wrestling competitions called đấu vật occur during village festivals and Tet celebrations. Wrestlers compete without weight classes, typically in three-minute bouts. The objective requires forcing an opponent's back or shoulders to the ground. Wrestlers train in communal houses called đình. The sport concentrates in northern provinces including Ninh Binh, Ha Nam, and Nam Dinh. Villages maintain wrestling traditions spanning multiple generations, with notable lineages in Đọi Sơn village of Hà Nam province and Vân village in Ninh Binh province. Organized tournaments occur during the Hùng Kings' Temple Festival in Phú Thọ province each year. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism documented 127 villages maintaining active wrestling traditions in a 2019 survey. Matches at the 2023 Hùng Kings festival featured 32 wrestlers from 16 northern provinces.
Volleyball participation occurs primarily through school and factory teams. The women's national team qualified for the FIVB Volleyball World Championship in 1974, 1978, and 1990. Vietnam competed in women's volleyball at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, finishing twelfth. The team defeated East Germany 3-1 in group play. Recent performance declined, with the team ranking 44th in FIVB world rankings as of 2023. The men's national team ranks 62nd. V-League volleyball competition operates with eight men's teams and eight women's teams as of the 2023 season. Thong Tin Lien Viet Post Bank Club dominates men's competition with 15 titles between 2005 and 2023. Vietnam hosted the Asian Women's Volleyball Championship in Ninh Binh and Bac Ninh in 2009. Beach volleyball facilities operate at Nha Trang and Vung Tau, with domestic tournaments attracting 12 to 16 teams.
Swimming development focuses on competitive programs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, born 1996, won eight gold medals at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games across individual medley, freestyle, and backstroke events. She competed at the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Olympics without advancing past preliminary heats. Her best Olympic performance came in the 400-meter individual medley at Rio 2016, finishing 23rd overall. Nguyen set the Southeast Asian Games record in women's 200-meter backstroke at 2 minutes 12.02 seconds in 2017. She retired in 2021. Vietnam operates national training centers at My Dinh Sports Complex in Hanoi and Rạch Chiếc in Ho Chi Minh City, each featuring Olympic-size pools. The 2022 national championship drew 280 swimmers from 28 provincial federations.
Basketball infrastructure developed through school programs and urban courts in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam Basketball Association operates a six-team professional league established in 2016. Saigon Heat competed in the ASEAN Basketball League from 2012 to 2020, finishing with a 92-166 record across eight seasons. The team reached playoffs once in 2015. Vietnamese players average 1.83 meters in height, limiting competitiveness in Southeast Asian regional competition. The national men's team ranks 97th in FIBA world rankings as of 2023. The women's team ranks 76th. Hanoi hosts an annual three-on-three tournament that drew 64 teams in 2023. Courts exist in public parks including Lenin Park in Hanoi and Tao Dan Park in Ho Chi Minh City.
Running events expanded after 2015 with international marathon organization. The Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon, first held in 2018, attracted 4,500 participants in its inaugural year. The 2023 edition drew 8,500 runners including 1,200 international participants. The course runs through downtown districts beginning at Nguyen Hue Walking Street. Techcombank Hanoi International Heritage Marathon, established 2015, follows a route around Hoan Kiem Lake and through Ba Dinh district. The 2023 race included 3,600 runners. Vietnamese record holder in the marathon is Nguyen Thanh Ngung with a time of 2 hours 20 minutes 10 seconds set at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games. Trail running events occur in the Central Highlands, with races in Da Lat covering distances up to 100 kilometers through Lang Biang mountain terrain.
Cockfighting persists despite official prohibition under Decree 06/2017/ND-CP classifying it as illegal gambling. Underground matches occur in rural areas, particularly in northern provinces. Participants breed fighting cocks for specific traits including aggression and endurance. Traditional betting accompanies matches. Enforcement remains inconsistent. The decree allows cockfighting only during festival periods in designated cultural sites, limited to three days per festival. Violators face fines ranging from 2 million to 10 million dong approximately 85 to 420 USD.
Kite flying constitutes recreational activity concentrated during summer months in coastal cities. Nha Trang and Vung Tau host annual kite festivals drawing participants from southern provinces. The Vung Tau International Kite Festival, held since 2009, attracts teams from Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The 2023 festival featured 28 teams flying kites in shapes representing animals and cultural symbols. Traditional Vietnamese kites called diều use bamboo frames with paper or fabric surfaces. Some designs measure four meters in width. Competitive kite fighting called đua diều occurs in Hanoi, where participants coat strings with ground glass to cut opponents' kites. This practice concentrates in Long Bien and Dong Da districts.
Muay Thai training centers operate in major cities serving fitness and competitive functions. Vietnam Muay Federation, established 2005, governs domestic competition and national team selection. Vietnamese fighters compete in Kunlun Fight and ONE Championship promotions. Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat, born 1989, won the World Boxing Council Muaythai light flyweight championship in 2014. He defended the title twice before losing in 2016. Thai fighters dominate regional competition, with Vietnamese athletes securing occasional medals at Southeast Asian Games. The 2019 event yielded one silver and two bronze medals for Vietnam. Gyms in Ho Chi Minh City including California Fitness and Elite Fitness offer Muay Thai classes with membership costs ranging from 1 million to 3 million dong monthly approximately 42 to 127 USD.
Billiards halls exist throughout Vietnamese cities, operating as social venues combining recreation with light gambling. Three-cushion billiards attracts serious competitors. Tran Quyet Chien won the Three-Cushion World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City in 2013. Ma Minh Cam competed in the UMB World Three-Cushion Championship multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Pool variants including eight-ball and nine-ball draw younger participants. The Vietnam Billiards and Snooker Federation reports 1,200 registered competitive players as of 2022. Halls charge hourly rates ranging from 30,000 to 80,000 dong approximately 1.25 to 3.40 USD.