Thai media surprised by Vietnam's groundbreaking of the world's largest stadium

Thai media was taken aback when Vietnam officially began construction of the Trống Đồng Stadium in Hanoi, a project expected to accommodate 135,000 spectators and could become the world's largest.

The Thai sports site "บอลไทย (Ball Thai)" recently published an article about Vietnam officially starting construction of the new stadium named Trống Đồngin the capital Hanoi. According to the article, the groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 25, 2025, marking the start of one of the largest sports projects in Southeast Asia in the coming years.

According to Thai media, the Trống Đồng Stadium is the central component of the Olympic Sports City mega-project, a large-scale urban sports complex planned over an area of approximately 73.3 hectares in Hanoi. The project includes not only the stadium but also transportation infrastructure, commercial zones, residential areas, and other auxiliary sports facilities, aiming to create a modern regional sports hub.

The article states the stadium's design is inspired by the Đông Sơn bronze drum, a long-standing cultural symbol of Vietnam. Additionally, the architecture incorporates the legendary Lạc bird motif, reflecting community spirit and distinctive Vietnamese cultural identity. Beyond symbolic elements, the stadium is also described to feature advanced technologies such as an automatic retractable roof, an intelligent turf system, 5G-integrated seating, and an AI-powered management and operations system. Furthermore, an international-standard VVIP area will be arranged to host major events.

According to information cited by "Ball Thai," the Trống Đồng Stadium is projected to have a capacity of up to 135,000 seats. If completed as planned, it could become one of the world's largest stadiums.

Beyond the stadium's own scale, the Olympic Sports City project is also considered a mega-project with a total investment estimated around 28 billion British Pounds (approximately 1.2 – 1.3 trillion Vietnamese đồng). According to the plan, the Trống Đồng Stadium is expected to be completed in the project's initial phase, while the entire complex will be constructed and finalized progressively until 2035.

Thai media commented that if the project proceeds according to schedule, the Trống Đồng Stadium will not only become a new symbol for Vietnamese sports but could also elevate football infrastructure standards in Southeast Asia. Simultaneously, this large-scale project may open opportunities for Vietnam to pursue hosting major international sports events in the future.