The Government has agreed with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST)’s proposal to organise the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) and the 11th ASEAN Para Games (Para Games 11) in Vietnam in 2021.

Vienamese
athletes at a sports event (Source: AFP/VNA)
At a meeting in the capital on July 9, the Cabinet assigned Hanoi
as the site city, which successfully hosted SEA Games 22 in 2003, the Asian
Indoor Games in 2009, and several other big international sports events.
The ministry’s proposal was made after the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF)
informed Vietnam that it would hand over the right to host SEA Games 31 to the
country.
The federation said Cambodia, scheduled to host SEA Games 31, proposed
postponing the hosting until the next Games in 2023 as it is not ready for the
task.
Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded the substantial
determination of the culture, sports and tourism sector, as well as of Hanoi
and the relevant ministries and agencies.
Hosting the events is both the responsibility and honour of Vietnam as a
constructive member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he
said, adding that this is also a chance to promote the Vietnamese land and
people.
The leader asked Hanoi to continue to complete infrastructure, set forth a
detailed plan on the organisation of the events, and mobilise the participation
of different economic sectors in these efforts.
The sports sector should make preparations to reach the highest results at the
tournament, he said.
According to the MCST, SEA Games 31 is scheduled to last for about 17 days and
Para Games 11, around 11 days, from October to December 2021. About
11,000 athletes and coaches are expected to participate in SEA Games 31, with
some 2,100 to join Para Games 11.
Source: VNA
In recent years, Lac Thuy district has paid increasing attention to investing in cultural and sports infrastructure. These grassroots facilities have attracted a large number of residents to participate in recreational and cultural activities, physical training, and community engagement, contributing to the development of cultural life and the local socio-economic growth.
In recent years, the mass physical training and sports (PTS) movement in Hoa Binh province has developed strongly and spread widely. Regardless of age, gender or occupation, people actively participate in physical training, creating a vibrant and enthusiastic sports atmosphere within the community.
Recently, Hoa Binh’s athletes have continued to show strong performances at national-level competitions. Alongside elite athletes, several standout performers have emerged from grassroots sports movements, underlining the province’s growing sports culture.
From April 26 to 27, at the Provincial Sports Arena, the Hoa Binh Provincial Karate Federation organized the 2025 Hoa Binh Open ASUDO Karate Championship.
While modern sports like volleyball and football continue to grow in popularity, traditional folk games and ethnic sports remain a vibrant and essential part of cultural life among the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
A total of 85 young players from across Hoa Binh province recently participated in the provincial Youth Table Tennis Tournament. Organised by the provincial Centre for Youth Activities, the event was part of activities to celebrate the 94th founding anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (March 26, 1931 – 2025) and the 79th anniversary of Vietnam Sports Day (March 27, 1946 – 2025).