Organized by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Ethnic Language Television Board of Vietnam Television (VTV5) and Binh đoàn 15, the tournament aims to create a meaningful sporting platform for female athletes from ethnic minority communities.
The event also marks celebrations of the success of the 14th National Party Congress and upcoming elections for the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils for the 2026–2031 term.
The Đak Đoa women's football team trains hard and is determined to perform well. Photo: R.P
Officials say the competition is designed to encourage participation in sports among ethnic minority women, while also helping identify and nurture promising football talent in mountainous and border regions.
The tournament will feature eight teams with players aged 15 and older, divided into two groups competing in a round-robin format under seven-a-side rules. Participants include two teams from Quang Ngai and Dak Lak provinces, two local teams from western Gia Lai, and four teams from units and companies under Army Corps 15.
Organizers also hope the tournament will help promote the image of Gia Lai and highlight the rich cultural traditions of ethnic minority communities while supporting activities linked to National Tourism Year – Gia Lai 2026.
According to Dương Minh Nguyên, deputy head of the Sports Management Division under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the tournament was originally planned to take place in Đak Đoa commune.
However, preparations for upcoming elections in the locality forced organizers to change the venue, with Army Corps 15 stepping in to host the event at its own stadium.
Among the teams taking part is the Link Coffee Women’s Football Club from Đak Đoa commune, composed mainly of Bahnar and Jrai players. The club was founded in 2020 by Nguyễn Anh Dũng and several colleagues and has since maintained regular training while competing in grassroots tournaments both inside and outside the province.
At this year’s VTV5 Cup, the club will represent Đak Đoa in the competition.
Coach Nguyễn Anh Dũng said his squad includes 17 Jrai and Bahnar players, many of whom are still students with limited time for training.
Despite the constraints, the team schedules weekend training sessions and adjusts practice times around school commitments to prepare for the tournament.
“For this tournament, the team is highly motivated and determined to give their all, aiming for a top-two finish to qualify for the upcoming National Ethnic Minority Women’s Football Championship”, Dũng said.
Player Rơ Châm H’Vưn, born in 2009 and a member of the Đak Đoa team, said she felt proud to take part in the first tournament dedicated to ethnic minority women’s football.
“Our whole team wants to play our best, deliver beautiful matches with a spirit of fair play, strengthen bonds and exchange with other teams, and promote the image of dynamic, healthy ethnic minority women”, she said.
Another participant, the Ia Tôr women’s football team, faces a new challenge as it prepares to compete in a seven-a-side format for the first time.
Coach Võ Thái Thiện said his squad previously played mainly five-a-side football in local sports festivals and grassroots tournaments.
“For this tournament, our team has 13 female players, all of whom are Jrai, including four students”, he said.
“The players are very excited but also a bit nervous ahead of the competition. I have encouraged them to play with confidence, unity and maximum effort, especially when facing strong teams from outside the province”.
