Gia Lai - Binh Dinh Premier League 2026 kicks off with strong amateur lineup

Community running events in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai are increasingly combining sport with social impact, raising funds for disadvantaged families while promoting healthier and greener lifestyles.

Nguyen Thi Oanh secured victory in the women’s half marathon at the Tay Ho Half Marathon 2026, while Pham Thi Hong Le finished second in a competitive race that drew more than 10,000 runners to the capital.

Having guided Gia Lai to its first gold medal at the 2026 National Sports Games, athletics head coach Huỳnh Minh Hiếu spoke with Gia Lai Newspaper and Radio & Television about the victory, strategy and his athlete’s form.

Pham Thi Hong Le secured victory in the women’s marathon at the 2026 National Marathon Championship - Tiền Phong Marathon, setting a new record and reinforcing her status as one of Vietnam’s leading distance runners.

Gia Lai’s sports sector is undergoing a broad transformation, underpinned by a growing grassroots movement and reinforced by rising achievements at national, regional and international competitions.

A women’s football tournament in Vietnam’s Central Highlands has drawn international attention for combining competitive sport with a vibrant celebration of ethnic diversity and cultural identity.

Gia Lai Province will host the 2026 International Youth Football Festival from May 11 to May 17, bringing together 12 U14 teams from Vietnam and overseas, according to a newly issued provincial plan.

The 2026 Gia Lai Provincial Open Cycling Club Championship is set to take place on March 28-29, bringing together 85 riders from nine clubs in a competition expected to deliver closely contested races.

Eighteen-year-old martial artist Trần Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc has been named one of 15 recipients of the 2025 Ngô Mây Award, marking a significant milestone in a career defined by discipline and international success.

Trekking is rapidly gaining popularity among young people in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, with increasing numbers joining hiking trips through forests and mountains in Gia Lai province, particularly on weekends and during the dry season.

Eight women’s football teams from Gia Lai, Quang Ngai and Dak Lak provinces will compete in the inaugural VTV5 Cup for Ethnic Minority Women’s Football Tournament from March 17 to 21 at the 15th Corps Stadium in Thong Nhat Ward, Gia Lai Province.

Table tennis continues to thrive in the western districts of Gia Lai province, maintaining steady growth and strong community participation despite the rising popularity of newer sports such as pickleball.

In an effort to create more vibrant cultural and sports spaces at the Cho Nho Night Street, Pleiku Ward (Gia Lai Province) will organize an artistic roller skating showcase themed “Glide to New Heights, Spread the Movement.” 

Vietnam’s leading Muay fighters delivered a series of dramatic and high-level bouts at the 2026 National Muay Club Championship in Pleiku, drawing large crowds and showcasing the country’s top martial arts talent.

Lộc Thị Phương Anh, an amateur runner from Quy Nhơn Nam ward in central Vietnam, has emerged as a standout figure in the country’s trail running community after finishing second in the 250 km category at the Prenn Trail Summit 2025 in Lâm Đồng.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai suffered a 0–1 home defeat to Ho Chi Minh City Police on Saturday in the 2025–2026 V.League, after failing to capitalize on early chances at Pleiku Stadium.

The organizing committee of the Gia Lai City Trail 2026 has unveiled the official race routes ahead of bib registration opening on March 12, outlining five distances designed to take runners through the landscapes and cultural setting of Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

Nearly 400 fighters from 41 muay clubs across Vietnam gathered in Gia Lai Province on Tuesday for the opening of the 2026 National Muay Club Championship, marking the first major sporting event in the province’s National Tourism Year 2026 programme.

Young players from Gia Lai delivered one of their strongest performances to date at the 22nd Central Region Youth Chess and Xiangqi Championship, securing a large medal haul after a week of competition in Huế.

Excitement swept through Pleiku on February 25 as crowds filled Dai Doan Ket Square for the opening night of the two-day “Binh Dinh Martial Arts Night”, an event organized by the Gia Lai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to promote traditional Vietnamese martial arts.

For more than a decade, instructor Siu Hồng Phát, 42, has sustained the Vovinam - Việt Võ Đạo movement in the remote Ia Pia commune of Gia Lai province, running low-cost martial arts classes that have become a key social space for local children.

In the remote border district of Đức Cơ District in Gia Lai province, a family of three has become a rare phenomenon in Vietnamese martial arts: both parents and their teenage daughter have competed for provincial teams, collecting national medals and bringing pride to their community.

As streets fill with the colours of spring ahead of Lunar New Year, athletes in Gia Lai are balancing family reunions with rigorous training schedules to ensure the festive break does not disrupt preparations for major competitions in the months ahead.

Gia Lai will send two squads to the 2026 National U15 Football Championship, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced as it released the tournament’s regulations and full match schedule.