Vietnam’s professional sports face setbacks at SEA Games

A clear distinction persists between ‘amateur’ and ‘professional’ sports in Vietnam.

Olympic-style disciplines, often less reliant on private sponsorship and club structures, are considered amateur, even as many athletes now sign endorsement deals at the global level.

Professional sports at the SEA Games, however, include football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, and table tennis.

Vietnam’s men’s football team were a rare highlight, securing a convincing gold medal, while the women’s team earned a silver that many observers considered deserving of gold.

The women’s futsal squad also captured a gold medal.

Outside football, volleyball was the only other professional sport to show promise, with the women’s team reaching a highly anticipated final against Thailand, a nation long dominant in the sport.

Despite strong performances, Thailand remains the benchmark.

Men’s volleyball offered a cautionary tale.

Vietnam led Indonesia 2-0 in the semifinals before losing 2-3, and then fell to the Philippines in the bronze medal match in a similar comeback defeat.

In basketball, Vietnam failed to replicate its historic 2023 SEA Games gold in the 3x3 event, leaving the SEA Games empty-handed despite the efforts of standout players Truong Thao My and Truong Thao Vy.

Racket sports offered further disappointment.

Vietnam’s tennis squad struggled after top players such as Ly Hoang Nam and Trinh Linh Giang moved to pickleball, with singles competitors eliminated in early rounds.

In badminton, the women’s doubles pair Vu Thi Trang and Bui Bich Phuong salvaged a bronze, while other competitors were outclassed by regional rivals.

Indonesia’s decision to withhold top male players, focusing on the World Tour Finals, spotlighted the depth gap across Southeast Asia.

Table tennis, historically stable but not dominant in the region, saw Vietnam reach the men’s team final, only to fall 2-3 to a strong Singapore side led by teenage star Izaac Quek.

The repeated setbacks across basketball, men’s volleyball, badminton, and table tennis reveal a growing challenge for Vietnam.

The country’s professional sports programs are increasingly falling behind regional competitors, even as amateur Olympic-style disciplines continue to deliver medals and moments of national pride.

The 2025 SEA Games, held from December 9 to 20 across Thailand, featured 9,366 athletes competing in 50 sports, with a total of 574 medal events.

The host nation finished atop the medal table with a record 233 gold medals among 499 overall, followed by Indonesia with 91 gold medals and Vietnam with 87 golds.