Why doesn't the Vietnamese team play at Thong Nhat Stadium?

To ensure safety, Thong Nhat Stadium has temporarily suspended the use of stand B pending the largest renovation project ever. Photo: Duy Hoang .

At the end of January 2025, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) officially announced that the Vietnam national team chose Binh Duong Stadium (Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong) as the home stadium for two international matches in Group F of the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, during the FIFA Days in March and October.

Specifically, the two matches include Vietnam vs. Laos (March 25) and Vietnam vs. Nepal (October 9). In addition, there will be international friendly matches for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team to "warm up", such as the match between Vietnam and Cambodia that took place on March 19. This is the match that Duy Manh and his teammates won with a score of 2-1.

The last time Binh Duong Stadium hosted a match of the Vietnamese team was in July 2014. That was the debut of new coach Toshiya Miura and the team won 6-0 against Myanmar.

Regarding the reason for choosing Binh Duong Stadium, VFF explained that it wanted to serve a large number of fans and at the same time contribute to promoting the development of football movements in many localities, such as the times when choosing the competition venue at Lach Tray Stadium (Hai Phong), Thien Truong Stadium (Nam Dinh) or Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho).

However, for audiences in the Southern region, many expressed their nostalgia for Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, which has the longest history in Vietnam (inaugurated in 1931), and has hosted many major national and continental tournaments.

Signs of severe damage can be seen on many sides of Thong Nhat Stadium. Photo: Duy Hoang .

According to Tri Thuc - Znews 's investigation, the reason Thong Nhat Stadium cannot currently host national team level matches is because it is waiting for the start of the largest upgrade project ever, with a budget of more than 149 billion VND under the project to host the 10th National Sports Festival - 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City.

From the end of 2023, Thong Nhat Stadium will temporarily stop using stand B due to serious degradation. Other items at stand A, the grass surface is still of good quality, qualified to host matches in national tournaments such as V.League, First Division, international tournaments such as AFC Women's Champions League 2024/25.

According to the original plan, the Thong Nhat Stadium renovation project was to start in January 2025, but then some additional items arose and the plan was to postpone the expected construction date to the end of 2025, according to information from the Ho Chi Minh City Civil and Industrial Construction Investment Project Management Board.

In the renovation project, Thong Nhat Stadium will have a new stand B, part of stands C, D with a scale of 3 floors and an air conditioning system. In addition, there will be a wastewater treatment system, a water supply and drainage system for the garbage collection stands, a new water tank, a fire protection system, a lightning protection system, trees and grass (expanding both ends of the goal (2.5 meters/each end) and replacing the asphalt surface of the athletics track.

In the final match of Group F of the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese team is scheduled to play a home match against an important opponent, Malaysia, on March 31, 2026. The VFF has not yet decided on a home stadium for the Vietnamese team in this match. However, with the above timeline and comparing the progress of the renovation project (starting at the end of 2025), Thong Nhat Stadium cannot be sure to ensure the conditions for organization.

However, with the plan to upgrade and renovate Thong Nhat Stadium, it is hoped that in the near future, this stadium will again become the destination for international matches of the Vietnam team. Meanwhile, Binh Duong Stadium is becoming an ideal alternative, bringing a passionate atmosphere and excitement to fans in the Southern region. The upcoming exciting matches here will certainly create beautiful memories, contributing to promoting the football movement in the localities.

Source: https://znews.vn/vi-sao-tuyen-viet-nam-khong-da-tren-san-thong-nhat-post1540547.html