U23 Vietnam take the first stepU23 Vietnam will be the first national team to take the continental stage this year, competing at the AFC U23 Championship in Saudi Arabia. These form a tight sequence of competitions where the success - or struggles - of the opening squad may set the tone for what follows. The weight of expectationOfficially, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has not set overly ambitious targets for U23 Vietnam at the AFC U23 Championship. More than results, U23 Vietnam need to show a new identity compared to their past regional performances. But if U23 Vietnam can rise to the occasion, they won’t just be opening a new chapter - they’ll be laying a foundation for an even bigger leap forward in Vietnamese football.

The most talked-about deal ahead of the 2026 season involves Vi Thi Nhu Quynh, born in 2002, who has officially signed with newly promoted Hanoi Volleyball Club. Though financial terms were not disclosed, sources confirm that this contract secures the highest salary ever recorded for a Vietnamese female volleyball player. Nhu Quynh officially joins Hanoi Volleyball Club. In the coming days, the club is expected to unveil additional high-profile signings, including Le Thanh Thuy and 2 to 3 other national team players. 2026 National Championship ScheduleThe first round of Vietnam’s National Volleyball Championship 2026 will take place from April 6 to April 19 at Dong Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi, for both men’s and women’s competitions.

The reductions in administrative units, personnel, and expenditures are early indicators of the profound impact of these reforms. The biggest administrative reform in modern history2025 was a year of intensity and transformation. Vietnam has seen two major administrative reforms in its history - under King Le Thanh Tong (1442–1497) and King Minh Mang (1791–1841). The number of commune-level administrative units was slashed from over 10,000 to just 3,321. Photo: Le Anh DungBeyond the structural reforms, 2025 also marked a turning point in national policy-making.

With a four-day break for the 2026 New Year, travelers can explore two of Vietnam’s most celebrated rural destinations - Thai Hai and Quynh Son - both recognized as “Best Tourism Villages in the World” by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Thai Hai Village, Thai NguyenThe Thai Hai Ecological Stilt House Conservation Area was honored by the UNWTO in 2022 as one of the world’s best tourism villages. Located just 70 km from Hanoi and about 10 km from downtown Thai Nguyen, Thai Hai lies along the popular tourist route to Nui Coc Lake and the Tan Cuong tea culture zone. Photo: Linh TrangQuynh Son Village, Lang SonQuynh Son (Lang Son) and Lo Lo Chai (Tuyen Quang) were Vietnam’s most recent entries into the UNWTO’s list of the “Best Tourism Villages in the World,” earning their titles in 2025. Located just over 150 km from Hanoi, Quynh Son is about a three-hour drive by private car.

Around 1996, his older brother gave him an idea: why not sell dried squid and fish from a cart? “At first, I had 3 to 5 items - grilled dried squid, dried fish - but it was hard to sell. The sells over 10 kilograms of dried squid each night. The now specializes in just one dish: butter garlic dried squid. His key ingredients are premium-grade dried squid (costing him about 1.3 million VND per kilo), high-quality condiments, and one strict rule: he never reuses cooking oil.

In 2025, Vietnamese youth gave rise to a series of heartfelt and creative trends that lit up social media and touched everyday life. Inviting strangers to weddingsA bride in Hanoi received unexpected wedding gifts from strangers she invited online. Growing ginger bonsai plantsGinger bonsai offered a calming, creative outlet for young people in 2025. In a more introspective trend, ginger bonsai - small ornamental ginger plants grown in minimalist pots - captured the imagination of young urban dwellers in 2025. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, ginger bonsai became a symbol of tranquility - especially for office workers or those living in tight urban spaces.

All three victories came against strong rivals and, notably, on hostile away grounds - highlighting the new identity, stature, and maturity of Vietnamese football. Winning on Thailand’s home turf not only secured the championship but also reaffirmed Vietnam’s status as Southeast Asia’s top football team at present. At the youth level, the U23 team brought home pride by winning the Southeast Asian U23 Championship. The emotional climax of the year came with Vietnam’s men’s football team winning gold at the 33rd SEA Games. The South Korean tactician made history as the first coach to guide Vietnamese football to three major titles in a single calendar year.

Vietnam’s National Assembly in 2025 marked a watershed year of legislative achievement, passing 89 laws and 91 resolutions, amending the Constitution, and pioneering first-ever national forums and digital innovations, setting records in both volume and substance. To mark the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Assembly, on August 27, 2025, Party General Secretary To Lam met with nearly 2,000 current and former deputies in a gathering that symbolized continuity, unity, and gratitude across legislative generations. In 2025, the Assembly passed 38 laws and 37 accompanying legal documents to restructure Vietnam’s political-administrative apparatus, officially rolling out a comprehensive two-tier local government model. 244-QĐ/TW to formally establish the National Assembly Party Committee, replacing the Party Delegation - a key step to consolidate leadership and boost effectiveness. Vietnam’s parliamentary diplomacy also made significant strides, contributing to national foreign policy objectives.

At present, the use of HCMC’s shared data repository mainly stops at aggregation and has not effectively supported in-depth analysis or forecasting. Currently, there is still no sufficiently reliable intermediary platform to promote data sharing and exploitation among agencies, organizations, and businesses. Currently, student data includes about 1.86 million records; teacher data more than 142,000 records; and school data about 441,000 records. Resolution 57 identifies data as a “primary means of production” and sets the requirement to form a data exchange. HCMC has a great opportunity to move one step ahead in building a Data Exchange.

In 2019-2024, real estate prices increased by nearly 60 percent. At the same time, the housing and real estate market information system must be improved to assist in future policy planning. Luc emphasized that the focus should be on continuing to improve the efficiency of institutions’ implementation, and controlling and gradually stabilizing real estate price levels. At the same time, there is a need to diversify capital sources and accelerate digital and green transformation in the field of land and real estate. "If the real estate market faces issues, the economy will take about 4-5 years to recover," Luc noted.

Approaching the 160 million VND markOn January 1, 2025, SJC gold bars were listed at 82.2–84.2 million VND/tael (approx. On April 16, SJC gold jumped by nearly 3 million VND in a single session, closing at 113–115.5 million VND. On August 30, SJC bars closed at 129.1–130.6 million VND, while gold rings from both SJC and DOJI hovered around 122.5–125.5 million VND. Over the year, SJC bars rose 68.6 million VND (81.5%), while 1–5 chi gold rings gained 64.9 million VND (77.3%). Some stores limited purchases to one chi per customer - primarily plain gold rings - to prevent hoarding and speculative buying.

Dr Nguyen Quan, President of the Vietnam Automation AssociationOn December 27, the VAA held its 6th National Congress for the 2025–2030 term. Former Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan was elected VAA’s President for the 6th term. Quan, VAA’s President for the 5th term, said the country is implementing the Politburo’s Resolution No57-NQ/TW on the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. The Association will provide consultancy and support to enterprises in scientific research activities, project development, and the growth of science and technology enterprises. Resolution 57 has fostered a strong consensus and determination within the technology business community, opening up a strategic space for enterprises to engage more deeply in the advancement of science and technology.

The Prime Minister issued a list of 11 groups of strategic technologies and 35 strategic technology products. Core technology: national strategic capabilityAccording to Binh, amid complex global fluctuations, technology plays an increasingly pivotal role, not only for economic development but also directly linked to sovereignty, security, and national self-reliance. The corporation focuses on investing in strategic technology fields such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technology, data, and digital infrastructure, step by step mastering high value-added technologies. FPT University students are involved in technological research from their first year. Finally, regarding railway infrastructure, Binh stressed that absorbing and mastering technologies for operation, control and system protection is vital.

Residents in Ho Chi Minh City take a free metro ride, January 1, 2026. -- A total of 49 traffic accidents occurred nationwide on New Year's Day, resulting in 18 deaths and 41 injuries, down 24 cases and 23 deaths year on year, according to the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security. Ho Chi Minh City-- Ho Chi Minh City offered free public transportation, including metro and bus services, on Thursday to welcome the New Year 2026, attracting large numbers of passengers and creating a lively atmosphere on the first day of the year. -- Many residents in the city and tourists flocked to entertainment venues and shopping malls on Thursday to celebrate the New Year holiday, making these sites crowded and vibrant. -- The People’s Committee of the central city of Hue held a ceremony at Ngo Mon Square in the Hue Imperial Citadel on Thursday to announce its signature Hue Festival 2026.

U23 Vietnam had a successful 2025. Photo: S.NThe year 2025 marked a milestone for U23 Vietnam, who clinched the ASEAN U23 Championship for the third time, secured a ticket to the AFC U23 Championship 2026, and capped off the year with a gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand. As 2026 opens, Kim Sang Sik’s squad is set to compete in the AFC U23 Championship in Saudi Arabia. Dinh Bac and his teammates are determined to write another historic chapter on the continental stage. In the group stage, U23 Vietnam will face Jordan on January 6, Kyrgyzstan on January 9, and hosts Saudi Arabia on January 12.