Vietnam’s 10th National Sports Games, known locally as the Juegos Deportivos Nacionales 2026, will bring the country’s badminton scene into sharp focus when competition runs from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, 2026, with Ho Chi Minh City hosting for the first time in 20 years, vietnam.vn reported. In the men’s singles, Nguyen Hai Dang of Ho Chi Minh City enters as the defending champion from the 2022 Games and the nation’s highest-ranked player at No. 75 in the world rankings. In practice, vietnam.vn reports, Vietnam’s men’s badminton remains tightly competitive and national matches routinely defy the rankings.
The contrast sets up the central question of the tournament: whether Hai Dang will win a second straight gold, or whether a domestic rival — most likely Le Duc Phat — will defeat him on home soil.
Hai Dang’s Ranking Gap vs. the Reality of Domestic Play
Hai Dang stands well clear of the national field on the world stage. Le Duc Phat of the Army team is ranked No. 207, Phan Phuc Thinh of Ho Chi Minh City No. 209, and veteran Nguyen Tien Minh No. 248, according to the rankings cited by vietnam.vn. Yet the outlet cautions that the distance in the world standings does not fully reflect the players’ actual level, and that Vietnamese men’s badminton remains very competitive, with national matches often unpredictable.
Among those rivals, Le Duc Phat is viewed as the biggest challenge to Hai Dang. The two have battled fiercely for many years, vietnam.vn reported.
Phan Phuc Thinh, 23, is another name to watch. The Ho Chi Minh City player is progressing slowly but steadily, and his unexpected run to the second round of the 2026 Vietnam Open demonstrated that he can trouble better-ranked opponents, according to vietnam.vn.
Tien Minh, 43, Still Winning on the Big Stage
The most striking storyline on the men’s side belongs to Nguyen Tien Minh, a legend of Vietnamese badminton who once reached No. 5 in the world rankings. At 43, his physical condition is plainly the biggest obstacle, vietnam.vn reported. Even so, he showed remarkable skill and experience at the Ho Chi Minh City Sports Festival in April, winning the men’s singles gold after Hai Dang suffered an injury in the final. The outlet noted the victory came with some fortune, but simply reaching the final at 43 is a highly meritorious achievement.
Young Talents Kha, Loi and Khanh Bring Energy to the Draw
Beyond the veterans, the men’s singles is generating anticipation around young players Tran Hoang Kha of Ho Chi Minh City (born 2006), Nguyen Tat Duy Loi of Lam Dong (born 2008) and Tran Quoc Khanh of Bac Ninh (born 2006).
Thuy Linh Stands Alone on the Women’s Side
Nguyen Thuy Linh of Dong Nai, ranked No. 27 in the world, is not only Vietnam’s best female badminton player but also a regular on the high-level international circuit, vietnam.vn reported.
A former standout of Vietnamese women’s badminton with a highly technical playing style and wide experience, Trang, 34, can no longer maintain the physical level of her prime, according to the outlet.
Among the young women, the two names to know are Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen of Dong Nai (born 2011) and Bui Bich Phuong of Hanoi (born 2007). The fact that Thu Huyen, just 15, will compete on the country’s biggest sporting stage points to notable developmental potential, vietnam.vn reported.
The Games That Frame the Badminton Tournament
The 2026 National Sports Games are Vietnam’s largest sporting event, held every four years. Ho Chi Minh City is the main host, 20 years after it last staged the Games, with competitions also taking place in Dong Nai, Dong Thap and Hanoi, vietnam.vn reported.
The scale is substantial: 48 sports and 973 medal events, drawing 36 delegations from 34 provinces and cities plus the police and military sectors. Organizers expect roughly 12,000 officials, coaches and athletes, 2,000 referees, and around 200,000 guests, spectators and tourists.
The main competition program is scheduled from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, 2026, though some events begin earlier — Muay Thai starts Oct. 20, with an official opening ceremony Oct. 22. The Games’ opening ceremony is set for the night of Nov. 21 at Saigon Riverside Park in Ho Chi Minh City, and the closing ceremony on Dec. 12 at Phu Tho Gymnasium, vietnam.vn reported.
Questions Fans Are Asking About the 2026 Games
The main competition program runs Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, 2026, though Muay Thai begins Oct. 20 and the official opening ceremony is Oct. 22, with the Games’ gala opening on Nov. 21.
Defending champion Nguyen Hai Dang, world No. 75, is the leading contender, but Le Duc Phat (No. 207) is considered his biggest challenger, and 43-year-old Nguyen Tien Minh showed his quality with an April gold in Ho Chi Minh City.
Nguyen Thuy Linh of Dong Nai, ranked No. 27 in the world, is the clear favorite ahead of Vu Thi Trang (No. 93).
Ho Chi Minh City is the main host across 31 venues, with additional sites in Dong Nai, Dong Thap and Hanoi.
The open question hanging over the badminton courts is whether Hai Dang’s ranking advantage will translate into a title defense, or whether the unpredictable nature of Vietnam’s domestic rivalry — proven again by Tien Minh’s April triumph — will produce a different champion when play begins on Nov. 14, 2026.
