Culture - Sports

Gia Lai hosts 2026 International U14 Football Festival

Through the tournament, Gia Lai aims to promote its image as a friendly, culturally rich and dynamic destination while boosting tourism, sports development and cultural exchanges among participating countries, Chairman of the Gia Lai provincial People’s Committee Pham Anh Tuan said at the opening ceremony.

Gia Lai hosts 2026 International U14 Football Festival

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Gia Lai (VNA) – The 2026 Gia Lai International U14 Football Festival kicked off on May 11.

The five-day event draws the participation of 12 youth teams across Asia, including seven international teams from the Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Laos, Malaysia and Thailand, alongside five domestic sides, namely LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai, PVF, Hanoi T&T, Song Lam Nghe An and Truong Tuoi Dong Nai.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Gia Lai provincial People’s Committee Pham Anh Tuan said the festival is one of the major international sporting events within the framework of the Visit Vietnam Year 2026 themed “Gia Lai – Where the great forests meet the blue sea".

Through the tournament, Gia Lai aims to promote its image as a friendly, culturally rich and dynamic destination while boosting tourism, sports development and cultural exchanges among participating countries, he said.

According to the organising board, a total of 34 matches will be played over five days. The teams are divided into two groups competing in a round-robin format, with the best-performing sides advancing to the semi-finals and final.

The opening ceremony, semi-finals, final and closing ceremony are being broadcast live on national television channels and digital platforms.

To prepare for the event, Gia Lai province has upgraded facilities at Pleiku Arena Stadium and the Ham Rong Training Centre, including functional rooms, stands, technical areas and pitches to meet international standards.

​Following the opening ceremony, hosts U14 LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai faced Japan’s U14 Jubilo Iwata in the opening match amid enthusiastic support from local fans./.

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