Esports

 

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is eyeing medals in esports and breaking at major international competitions, including the 20th Asian Games in Japan this September, as competitive gaming levels up and street dance steps into the sporting spotlight.

The Việt Nam Recreational and Electronic Sports Association (VIRESA) held its fourth Executive Committee meeting on January 22 in Hà Nội, where delegates reviewed a relatively successful 2025 and agreed on directions and key tasks for the year ahead.

VIRESA announced a packed 2026 calendar featuring a wide range of tournaments for both domestic and international competitors.

Accordingly, 18 national and youth championships will be staged across multiple titles, including League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, Valorant, Teamfight Tactics, Arena of Valor and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

On the international stage, Vietnamese athletes are set to compete at the 20th Asian Games, the Global Esports Games 2026, the Esports World Cup, the FIFAe World Cup, Esports Championships Asia, the Esports Nations Cup and the SEAEF Nations Cup.

VIRESA will also host several international events organised to Olympic standards, including the Asian Esports Games 2026 scheduled for the end of the year.

Alongside esports, the association will place greater emphasis on breaking, its newest member discipline within recreational sports.

A series of activities is planned, including tournaments, performance competitions, athlete selection and the development of a long-term roadmap.

Breaking is defined not simply as an artistic performance but as a form of physical activity with clear competition, scoring and rivalry, in line with the growing convergence of sports, entertainment and technology.

In 2025, Vietnamese esports enjoyed a standout year with notable international success, claiming two gold medals in Arena of Valor and a silver in FC Online at the 33rd SEA Games. This was followed by a silver in CrossFire and a bronze in League of Legends at the Esports Championships Asia 2025, which Việt Nam hosted for the first time.

Breaking also made an impressive debut at the National Breaking–Hiphop Showcase, which featured nearly 1,000 athletes from more than 90 clubs.

The event was considered a key step in standardising expertise to bring the discipline closer to high-performance sport, creating a solid foundation for sending representatives to compete at major competitions. — VNS