Sports

Held on September 13, the VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2026, co-organized by VnExpress Newspaper and the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee, has concluded. More than 8,000 athletes joined together along the coastal route, striving to achieve their goals and creating unforgettable memories.

More than 370 players took part in the 2026 Expanded Chess Tournament to Welcome the New School Year in Quy Nhon, underscoring the growing popularity of chess and the role of grassroots competitions in developing young talent.

Nearly 1,000 athletes from 35 teams across 11 provinces and cities competed in the 2026 Gia Lai Provincial Sports Dance and Entertainment Championship, the 12th Dream Dance Cup Open, underscoring the growing appeal of sports dance in the province.

Dong Quoc Anh, a 12-year-old table tennis player from Gia Lai Province, has emerged as a promising young talent after reaching the top 16 in the 12-13 age group at the 2026 National Youth, Teen, and Children’s Table Tennis Championship.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai Football Club (HAGL) will travel to Thailand for a pre-season training camp from Aug. 11-22, where the Vietnamese side will play five friendly matches, including one against Kanchanaburi, coached by Park Hang-seo.

Gia Lai is targeting a strong overall finish at the 2026 National Youth Traditional Martial Arts Championship despite a shortage of athletes that has limited the team’s entries across combat and forms events.

The Lang Bi Quarry Charity Tennis-Pickleball Cup has mobilized more than VND 4 billion (about $154,000) over four seasons, combining competitive sport with support for disadvantaged families, students and communities.

Bong Son Ward is staging its first Ornamental Creatures Festival and inaugural Half Marathon this August, bringing together hundreds of ornamental artworks, nearly 140 commercial booths and more than 500 runners as the locality seeks to showcase its culture, landscapes and local products.

Gia Lai will field two teams at the Toyota Cup 2026 National U9 Football Championship in Quang Ngai province, where more than 300 young players from 28 teams across Vietnam are set to compete.

Authorities in Hội Phú Ward, Gia Lai Province, are coordinating with runner Nguyễn Văn Long to organize a 102-day endurance challenge in which he aims to set a Guinness World Record by running 100 kilometers a day.

Gia Lai’s youth Xiangqi programme continues to show encouraging progress after the province’s young players claimed 101 medals at the 2026 Central and Central Highlands Age Group Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) Open Championship, reinforcing efforts to build a sustainable pipeline of future talent.

The 9th International Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts Festival - Gia Lai 2026 officially opened on Sunday evening at Nguyễn Tất Thành Square in Quy Nhon Ward, featuring a large-scale artistic program celebrating the cultural legacy and enduring spirit of Vietnamese traditional martial arts.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) striker Nguyễn Minh Tâm has been called up to Vietnam's U23 national team for a training camp ahead of the 2026 Asian Games, the club announced on July 24.

Gia Lai's women's team won the bronze medal at the 2026 National U18 5x5 Youth Basketball Championship, which concluded on July 22 in Hue City.

The Gia Lai Provincial Youth Union is recruiting 80 volunteers to support the 9th International Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts Festival - Gia Lai 2026, which will take place from Aug. 2 to Aug. 5 in Quy Nhon Ward and several other communes and wards across the province.

More than 300 young athletes took part in the inaugural Gia Lai Provincial Children's Football and Swimming Championships 2026 from July 17 to 19, showcasing determination, teamwork and sporting spirit in competitions designed to encourage physical activity and healthy development among children.

Spain claimed the 2026 FIFA World Cup title with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina, as Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal to end the defending champions' reign in a tightly contested final.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) have parted ways with Brazilian defender Jairo and midfielder Marciel as the V.League club continues a complete overhaul of its foreign player roster ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

Gia Lai's women's beach handball team began its campaign at the 2026 National Youth Beach Handball Championship with a 2-0 victory over Ho Chi Minh City on the tournament's opening day on July 3.

Fierce contests, technically accomplished performances and participation from some of most established martial arts schools made the boxing competitions at the Gia Lai Sports Festival and Gia Lai Youth Boxing Championship for clubs and dojos among the standout events of sporting calendar.

More than 580 athletes from across Gia Lai Province and beyond gathered on June 28 for the opening of the 2026 Gia Lai Provincial Badminton and Table Tennis Sports Festival and the 2026 Gia Lai Provincial Open Badminton Club Championship at the Gia Lai Provincial Sports Arena in Quy Nhon Ward.

Gia Lai province will host the inaugural “Conquering Pờ Yầu Peak” cross-country race on Sept. 27, 2026, as part of efforts to promote local tourism and establish a signature annual sporting event.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history after netting twice in a 2-0 victory over Austria, helping his side secure early qualification for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup.

A karate competition featuring 200 athletes from 20 communes and wards across Gia Lai Province officially opened on June 23 at the Pleiku Sports Arena as part of the first Gia Lai Provincial Sports Festival 2026.