Chinese media stunned by Vietnam's ambition to build the world's largest stadium

The article on 163 attracted much attention by describing the Trống Đồng Stadium as an unprecedented project in Vietnam, notable for its massive scale, distinctive design, and continental aspirations.

Recently, Chinese online news site 163 published a lengthy article about the Trống Đồng Stadium project in Hanoi, calling it a sports facility “the most ambitious ever” undertaken by Vietnam. According to Chinese media, the project was launched as part of a package of 234 major infrastructure works demonstrating a strong commitment to investing in sports facilities.

According to 163, the Trống Đồng Stadium is planned within the core of the Olympic Sports City in Hanoi, led by Vingroup Group. The stadium is designed to hold 135,000 spectators, surpassing India's Modi Stadium and North Korea's May 1 Stadium to become the world's largest stadium if completed on schedule. Chinese media emphasized the “rare” scale of the project in Southeast Asia.

The 163 article dedicates significant space to describing the architectural concept inspired by the Đông Sơn bronze drum, considering it a highlight that strongly reflects Vietnamese cultural identity. Chinese media believe that incorporating traditional cultural symbols into the design of a modern mega-structure demonstrates Vietnam's ambition to assert its national image on the international sports stage.

Regarding technology, 163 praises the Trống Đồng Stadium for being specially designed for football, featuring a large retractable roof and a sliding grass field system. According to the Chinese report, these technologies are usually found only in world-class stadiums, indicating Vietnam's aim to meet standards for hosting large-scale international sports events.

However, 163 also notes the enormous investment scale of the entire Olympic Sports City, with total capital estimated at tens of billions of US dollars. Chinese media point out that such mega infrastructure projects often face challenges related to costs and long-term utilization, emphasizing the importance of an effective operational strategy after completion.

Alongside cautious analysis, 163 acknowledges the progress and scale of the Trống Đồng Stadium project as evidence that Vietnam is significantly boosting its investment in large-scale sports infrastructure. The Chinese report views this as a strategic move to enhance the capacity to host regional tournaments, thereby improving Hanoi's sports status and urban competitiveness in the future.